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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29313366">Stirring the Flames</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aquilaaqua/pseuds/Aquilaaqua'>Aquilaaqua</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Inazuma Eleven, Inazuma Eleven GO</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, He's a little more mature, Minor Oc Characters, Minor violence in prologue, Not very healthy coping mechanism, Tenma might be ooc, Tenma scares Tengawara, because he's a Prince</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 09:00:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>39,821</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29313366</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aquilaaqua/pseuds/Aquilaaqua</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Matsukaze Tenma knows that his father is not a good person. He hurt his mother when he was young. Thankfully his mother was able to leave Japan with him and start a new life and find her Cinderella happiness. But eventually, he came back to Japan to play soccer and to get justice for his mother. Massive Go!AU. Inspired by Lady of Fire (Thai Drama)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Matsukaze Tenma &amp; Nishizono Shinsuke, Matsukaze Tenma &amp; Shindou Takuto, Matsukaze Tenma &amp; Tsurugi Kyousuke</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Author's note: Wythras is a fictional country. Tenma is the adopted son of the king, making him the prince.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The grand white palace in the heart of the capital was a beacon of the future and hope for the people of Wythras. But for the younger prince, it is home, has been for nearly a decade.</p><p>  A soft sigh left Tenma’s lips as he passed the gardens. Servants were bustling around while preparing the place for his older brother’s homecoming and celebration for his soccer team’s win in the Europe League.</p><p>  He wished to be as good as him one day. And to do that, he has to go back to Japan and attend Raimon Jr. High. But his mother is reluctant to let him return to Japan and play soccer there.</p><p>  “There are good schools in Wythras where you can play soccer. Why do you want to go back to Japan?” She would ask whenever he brought this up. And Tenma would launch into another rant on how he needs to go to Raimon for the symbol drawn on the ball that saved him and Sasuke all those years ago.</p><p>  His step-father was more amendable to the idea though, despite how unconventional it is for the royal family of Wythras to send a child so far for school. But Raimon has had a solid reputation for 10 years thanks to its soccer team. And his brother, Abel is supportive of his dreams. When he was not away for soccer tournament, he would be teaching Tenma the basics and convincing his mother to send him to Japan.</p><p>  “Arion!”</p><p>  Tenma squealed as someone hoisted him up from behind and swung him around. “Put me down Abel! Or I’m going to hurl all over you!”</p><p>  His older brother chuckled and complied. Spinning around, Tenma gave his brother a proper hug. “Congrats on your win in the Europe League.”</p><p>  “Aw, thanks little brother.” Abel, Tenma’s handsome brother, grinned and took a step back to examine him. He had sun bleached brown hair, tan skin and mirthful green eyes. His physique was incredibly tall and athletic given his career in the soccer world. “I see you’ve grown taller. Anything happening since I’ve been gone?”</p><p>  Tenma’s face became a little downcast. “Mama still won’t let me go to Japan to study. And Raimon’s intake for this year is nearly closing.”</p><p>  “Sorry to hear that.” Abel patted Tenma’s shoulder comfortingly. “What about Father, what did he say?”</p><p>  “He’s been busy with the parliament. But he told me not to be discouraged. That things will work out somehow.”</p><p>  “I see.” Abel sighed. “It’s about the insurgents, right?”</p><p>   “Yes. Father is getting worried about it.”</p><p>  Abel pinched the bridge of his nose. He shook his head and offered his younger brother a smile. “No use for us to worry about it now. I want this party over with so that I can show you my new moves.”</p><p>  That visibly perked Tenma up. “Yes! I want to see Wave Breaker! You used it at the last minute during your match with Italy’s team! It was so cool!”</p><p>  “Aw shucks. I just got desperate, that’s all. I didn’t exactly plan or practiced it.” Abel rubbed his nose sheepishly.</p><p>  “That only makes it cooler!” By now, Tenma was jumping in excitement.</p><p>  “I know. By the way, been practicing hard?”</p><p>  “My dribbling’s getting better. But my shoots need more work.” Tenma rubbed the back of his head.</p><p>  “That’s fine. As long as you’re having fun. I’ll see if I can help you convince your mother to send you to Japan while I’m back.”</p><p>  “How long until you have to go back to your team?”</p><p>  “Not for a while.” Abel shrugged. “We’re currently off season. And depending on the insurgent situation, I might not go back next month if Father needs me here.”</p><p>  “Stop all this depressing talk, now is a time for celebration.”</p><p>  Tenma and Abel immediately straightened and bowed at their father, or step-father for the former, the king of Wythras. “Father.”</p><p>    The king of Wythras approached his sons and gave his eldest a proud look. “Welcome back Abel. The guest will be arriving soon. Make sure you are presentable to them and no talks about the insurgents.”</p><p>  “Yes Father.”</p><p>  “I will see you two later.”</p><p>  Tenma and Abel shared looks and broke out into giggles. Abel patted his brother’s shoulders again and headed to his room to get ready.</p><hr/><p>  It was later that night that Tenma and Abel were able to get away from the party as it died down with the guest leaving and made a beeline for the field at the back of the palace. The king and the queen were quietly watching from the sidelines as their sons started a mini game of taking the ball from each other.</p><p>  “I hope you have reconsidered your decision against letting Tenma study in Japan.” The king spoke quietly to his wife.</p><p>  “I cannot risk him finding out about Tenma. It’s bad enough that he is in control of the youth soccer scene. But once he finds out about Tenma, I dare not think about how he will use him as he is using Yamato now.”</p><p>  The king sighed at that. “Sayuri, do you ever wish that you went back to stop him? I know that you have suffered all these years, knowing that you left your other son with him.”</p><p>  “I can’t stop him. I tried and he attacked me. It was a miracle he didn’t realize Tenma was in the room that night.” Tenma’s mother suddenly winced and pressed a hand against her head.</p><p>  “Another migraine?” The king asked in concern. “You have been having them more frequently in the recent months.”</p><p>  “I am fine.” Sayuri waved him off. “I will be better with some rest.”</p><p> The king looked at you doubtfully. “If you say so.”</p><p>  Not even five minutes later however, Sayuri’s migraine went from a throbbing pain to akin a sword stabbing her brain. With a pained cry, she collapsed and the king barely caught her.</p><p>  “Sayuri!”</p><p>  “Mama!” Tenma and Abel abandoned their game and rushed over to the queen. Tenma’s mother was unresponsive to them and now unconscious.</p><p>  “Call an ambulance!” The king snapped at a guard that came to investigate the commotion.</p><p>  “Yes sire!” The guard rushed off to do as commanded.</p><p>  “Mama.” Tenma whimpered as he touched her face. Flashbacks of that night appeared before his eyes as he recalled the last time he saw his mother bleeding and unresponsive…</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Eight years ago</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  The yells outside the closet were growing intense. Tenma whimpered as he hugged Sasuke closer. The puppy was a quiet comfort for him. His mother had pulled him out of bed and put him and Sasuke in the closet, telling him to keep quiet and not come out until she told him to.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  A sudden bang made him jump as something crashed into the closet doors. The yelling became louder and this time he heard his mother gasping in pain. Tenma had enough. He had to help his mother!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  But pushing the door prove futile. Peaking through the gaps, he saw people trashing his mother’s room. And one person was not doing anything but sneering down on his mother. More harsh words were exchanged.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  Tenma curled up in a ball and covered his ears. He just wanted them to leave. Leave him and his mother alone! </em>
</p><p>
  <em>  Suddenly, everything was quiet. Tenma peaked out again. The men seemed to be looking at something while his mother was lying on the floor with her hand outstretched towards the thing that they were holding. The men pointed at her and the one who was hurting his mother kicked her in the head. She crumpled into an unmoving pile and the men left.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  Finally, Tenma was able to push the closet door open. He crawled towards his mother, tentatively shaking her. Sasuke licked her face to try to wake her up but she still was not moving.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>  “Mama! Mama! Wake up!” But there was still no response. He shook her harder. “Mama! Help! Help!”</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. First day in Raimon...Chaos</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tenma is different from the anime in this AU. He is not an amature in soccer but not an expert either. And because of his upbringing in the royal family, he is a little more mature. And *spoiler alert* this story also explores how he will lose his innocence and become disillusioned with everything he knew about his family. So it can get antsy and have whump!Tenma.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Japan was far different than Wythras. Tenma knew this as he walked to his new school, Raimon Jr. High. He heaved a sigh as he trudged over to the gates. This was his dream, to attend the school and maybe, just maybe, find the man who hurt his mother. Yet, he wished it didn’t have to take his mother falling into a coma and the threat of insurgences for his father to allow him to come to Japan.</p><p>  “Matsukaze Tenma.” The name rolled of his tongue. It was his name before his mother got married. He had to change it once he was in the royal family. But to hide in Japan, he has to use it.</p><p>  There’s no time like the present. He plastered his smile and dashed inside. And since he has time before the introduction ceremony, he might as well find the soccer clubhouse. He hummed a soft tune as he admired the school logo and the soccer field. Call him spoiled, but he preferred the palace’s field. The field here wasn’t bad but it probably didn’t have hidden training traps like the one back home.</p><p>  A smile formed on his lips as he saw the soccer building. He temporarily pushed his concerns about his mother and Wythras aside. He was finally in Raimon. He was going to join the soccer club and everything is looking up. His first day in Raimon will be memorable!</p><hr/><p>  Abort excitement! This is not how he wanted his first day to be memorable!</p><p>  This punk kid, Tsurugi Kyosuke showed up and destroyed the second team and destroyed the old soccer club shack. Then Tenma somehow got roped into a soccer challenge with the punk kid, and the situation was not helped by the mean headmaster and school chairman who pushed for him to accept the challenge if he didn’t want the soccer club disbanded. Boy did all those hits hurt. But somehow, he stopped Tsurugi’s Hissatsu shot. (Thank you Abel for at least informing him he could bring out a Keshin. He suspected it was his Keshin that saved his brain from turning into mush even if it didn’t form completely.)</p><p> Then the punk got angry at Tenma and despite the earlier deal that he will leave the club alone if Tenma took the ball, he shot a ball right at Tenma who could not react in time. Thankfully, someone else’s ball knocked punk’s off course. And so the first team showed up. Unfortunately, that only led to another confrontation that ended in a match between the first team and punk’s team. And boy is the punk’s team devastating Raimon’s first team.  Things probably didn’t help when he was put on the field by Raimon’s coach all because he asked. The punk was annoyed with his presence on the field and taunted him by keeping the ball away from him while knocking down the members of the Raimon soccer club with the ball.</p><p>  Things did not get better in the second half…to a degree. Tenma inwardly admitted that keeping the ball to stop punk from hurting the other members was not the best idea. But at least the captain managed to call out his Keshin that made punk’s coach withdraw. He’s not sure why they forfeited, but the captain’s Keshin is definitely a subject of interest to them.</p><p>  At least he was reunited with Aoi before the induction ceremony. He met the blue haired girl during one of his mother’s rare visits back to Japan and they kept in touch ever since. She is the only one other than Aki to know about his identity as a prince.</p><p>  “Are you ok?” She asked as she slowly approached where he was crouched over the ball. Everyone else had already left to change and presumably to class. And Aoi’s concerns were probably valid as he was covered in dirt and bruises.</p><p>  “I’m fine.” He reassured her with a smile.</p><p>  “Looks like a lot has happened before the induction ceremony.” She commented with a wry smile.</p><p>  “Understatement of the century. And here I was excited about my first day. I mean, I’m still excited, but not as much as before the punk kicked all those balls at me.”</p><p>  “I see.” Aoi winced. “You should get cleaned up. The induction ceremony will be starting soon.”</p><p>  “As if the chairman had anything better to do after letting punk do what he wants.” Tenma huffed. “By the way, Abel says hi.”</p><p>  “Tell him I said hi too.” Aoi’s eyes softened as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry about what happened to your mother. I hope she wakes up soon.”</p><p>   Tenma managed a half smile at his friend. “Me too.”</p><hr/><p>  As the chairman droned on about the school, Tenma forced himself to appear attentive. He was not interested in hearing what the chairman has to say considering he allowed an outsider to hurt the students under his care.</p><p>    But the tugging of his sleeve made him turn to the side. He blinked at the tiniest person he has seen in the school who was waving at him to get closer.</p><p>  “That match earlier was sure something. You faced them head on even though you are a first-year!” The person beside him whispered.</p><p>    “You were watching?” Tenma turned red, not expecting his foolhardy actions to garner admiration. Yes, he will admit it was foolhardy and was mentally composing an apology to the members of the soccer club. </p><p>  “Yeah. And I already memorized your name. Matsukaze Tenma, right?” The student grinned at him. “You’re pretty cool, Tenma!”</p><p>  Tenma’s face turned redder. “Thank you. What’s your name?”</p><p>  Realizing he had yet to introduce himself, the student smiled sheepishly. “I’m Nishizono Shinsuke. We’ll be in the same class. Good to meet you!”</p><p>  “Ah…” Tenma didn’t want to admit he hasn’t checked the class placements no thanks to what happened earlier that morning. But since Shinsuke checked, he can probably rely on him to direct him to their class. “Nice to meet you.”</p><p>  Shinsuke beamed and waved at him to get closer again. “That was the first time I ever saw a Keshin. So they really exist. Do you have one, Tenma?”</p><p>  “No way.” Tenma waved it off. Truthfully, he didn’t want to let anyone know about unsummonable Keshin at the moment. If he said yes, Shinsuke will want to see it but he cannot call it out yet. Abel has been training him when he can to try to call it out but so far, nothing’s working. And judging punk’s coach’s reaction when he saw the captain’s Keshin, he needs to be more careful.</p><p>   “But you’re joining the soccer club, right?”</p><p>  “Yeah.” Tenma nodded in determination.</p><p>  “Me too! I’ve decided to join the soccer club.”</p><p>  “Really? Then let’s go to the soccer club together later.” Tenma smiled in relief that he didn’t need to go to the club alone.</p><p>  Shinsuke was ecstatic with Tenma’s suggestion. “Ok! Let’s do our best to get into the first team together! I’m pretty good too!”</p><p>  Tenma’s excitement turned into mortification as Shinsuke’s energetic cry made everyone look at them. Even the chairman paused in his speech. The man cleared his throat gruffly and Shinsuke finally realized the attention he was getting. Blushing, he bowed and sat back on his seat with a contrite, “Sorry about that.”</p><p>  Tenma had to resist the urge to giggle at the whole scene. It’s nice to have someone equally as enthusiastic about soccer as him to be his friend. Back at home, he found it difficult to have friends due to his status and not many children of the politicians like soccer.</p><p>  Later that afternoon, once the homeroom teacher dismissed the class after a brief introduction, Tenma, Shinsuke and Aoi rushed out together. Tenma was elated to find that his childhood friend was in the same class as him. And she had confided in him that she wanted to join the soccer club as a manager as well.</p><p>  “So what was your name again? I don’t think I memorized everyone’s yet.” Shinsuke rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as he addressed Aoi.</p><p>  “It’s Sorano Aoi, Nishizono-kun, right? I’m a childhood friend of Tenma’s.” The girl smiled at Tenma’s new friend, happy that he finally found a friend who can match his passion for soccer. But she turned to Tenma with a slightly worried look. “Do you think it’s a good idea to go to the soccer club now after what happened in the morning?”</p><p>  “We’ll never know until we see.” Tenma shrugged. “Whether they like it or not, they have to try to operate like normal, or at least pretend to.”</p><p>  “Not everything is like a parliament, you know.” Aoi whispered to him so that Shinsuke would not overhear. “Something like this would shake them up badly and maybe even scare some of them away.”</p><p>  “Got it.” Tenma sighed. “But let’s just see what happens. Either way, we’re joining the club!”</p><hr/><p>   Aoi, unfortunately, was right. There was a mass quitting from the members of the club, including the managers, with less than eleven members remaining. Tenma could have tried to stop them, but after a second of consideration, he decided otherwise. Adversary will reveal those who are true and sincere at heart, a saying Father always told him. If they want to quit just because the future will be tough, it’s their choice. But part of him could not help but feel sorry for the remaining members.</p><p>  “Matsukaze Tenma, right? You and your friends should find other clubs to join. As you can see, this is what Raimon’s soccer club is now.” The captain told them with a sad smile when all the members that quitted left.</p><p>    Tenma held up his hand to forestall him. “Actually, they came here to join.” He gestured at Aoi and Shinsuke who were looking at him in confusion. “I came here for two things. Firstly,”</p><p>  Taking everyone by surprise, he bowed. “I apologize for my recklessness as my foolhardy actions made punk angry and hurt everyone. I will attempt to restrain myself in the future.”</p><p>  Everyone was unsure of what to say to the first-year’s impromptu apology, though many thought it wasn’t necessary. Finally, Shindou cleared his throat and said stiffly, “Apology accepted. Try not to anger the SEED again.”</p><p>  “But still, ‘punk’?” One of the players with goggles and dark skin waved his hand at Tenma.</p><p>  “He looks and acts like a punk.” Tenma simply said.</p><p>  “Touché.”</p><p>  “So, what was the second thing you came here for?” The pink haired player asked.</p><p>  “To wait for Otonashi-sensei and the coach.” Tenma tilted his head at him. “I still have to apologize them.”</p><p>  “That is not necessary, Matsukaze-kun.” Otonashi said with a sweatdrop, having entered the clubroom without everyone realizing and heard what Tenma said. “What happened this morning…it was out of everyone’s control.”</p><p>  “Then what about joining the club?” Shinsuke asked, feeling at lost with Tenma’s apologizes and the fact that he has yet to mention it.</p><p>  “It can wait.” Tenma shrugged. “Aoi’s right that now is not a good time. We can come back tomorrow and try to sign up when everyone’s less tense.”</p><p>  “That will not be necessary.” The coach finally spoke up. Looking at Tenma and Shinsuke intently, he abruptly turned to Shindou. “Get them the club application form. We will test them and other newcomers tomorrow after school.”</p><p>  The captain gritted his teeth but nodded reluctantly. Tenma secretly threw Aoi a ‘I told you so’ look. Even if the players were not feeling up to it, someone had to keep things going as normal.</p><p> Aoi returned it with an exasperated look, now realizing why Tenma had purposely not mentioned his intentions to join the club in the first place. He used the excuse of apologizes to buy them time for when the coach and Otonashi-sensei returned.</p><p>  Tenma quickly filled up the application form and handed it back to the captain with a weak smile. “Sorry about this.”</p><p>  The captain gave him a weird look, not looking at Shinsuke when he passed his form back. Tenma darted back to Aoi’s side, trying to ignore the stares the remaining members were giving him.</p><hr/><p>  “I can’t tell if you are smart or devious.” Aoi said to her friend over the phone. It was late in the evening and Shinsuke had gone back after spending the afternoon with him. Aki was welcoming as usual and after hearing about the events that transpired this morning, she left, muttering something about calling Otonashi-sensei.</p><p>  “What are you talking about?” Tenma huffed as he leaned back in his chair.</p><p>  “Did you apologize to the captain only because you wanted to buy some time until the coach got back? Because even I think it was not warranted.”</p><p>  “No, I meant what I said.” Tenma paused before adding, “But apologizing to the coach and Otonashi-sensei was the excuse.”</p><p>  “…You’ve been reading your brother’s books on how to get friends, weren’t you?”</p><p>  Tenma floundered at that before stammering out, “What-?! I didn’t-!”</p><p>  “Hm.” Aoi’s skeptical hum told him that she knew the truth.</p><p>  With a sigh, Tenma hung his head. “I don’t know how am I supposed to act as a normal student. I just don’t want people to dislike me this early.”</p><p>  “You didn’t need those books to become friends with Shinsuke and I.” Aoi was rolling her eyes at him, he just knew it. “And how much did those books actually help Abel?”</p><p>  “…Not a lot.”</p><p>  “See? You just need to be your soccer freak-self. I’m sure the seniors will come to understand you if you be yourself.”</p><p>  Tenma managed a smile at his friend’s forthrightness. “Thanks for the advice. But maybe saying sorry first will make them less tense towards us.”</p><p>  “We’ll see. You should call your brother now. I’m sure he’ll be wondering how your first day went.”</p><p>  “Hehe.” Tenma suddenly laughed sheepishly. “Aoi, I forgot to tell you this, but Abel sent someone to infiltrate the school to keep an eye on me.”</p><p>  Tenma could hear the exasperated sigh from his friend. “Who is he sending?”</p><p>  “Dahlia. I don’t know what position she’ll be taking but I figured you should know since you recognize her.”</p><p>  “It’s likely a teacher. It’s the only role that I can think of.” Aoi speculated. “Anything else that I should know?”</p><p>  “Nothing else. I’m going to call Abel now. See you tomorrow.”</p><p>  “See you then. Bye.” Tenma sighed as he placed his phone back on his desk. He rummaged around his bag for his second phone, the one he used in Wythras. With a small smile, Tenma dialed his brother’s number and waited for him to pick up.</p><p>  “Hey Abel. You will not believe the day I had…”</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yeah…Tenma doesn’t know how to make friends. Considering that canon!Tenma didn’t really have a lot of friends before the soccer club, I think it’s valid.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Entrance Exam</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Author’s note: This chapter jumps around various character’s point of view so it can get a little confusing.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next day came the entrance exam to the soccer club. And in preparation for it, Tenma found himself at the riverbank field early before school started to practice his dribbling. Abel had been gobsmacked, for the lack of better word, when Tenma informed him of his eventful first day. Even through the phone, Tenma could tell that Abel was super grateful he dispatched Dahlia to Raimon now more than ever. Nevertheless, Abel continued to encourage Tenma to not give up and to do his best to get into the team.</p><p>  Armed with his brother’s encouragements, Tenma practiced his dribbling around the blue colored tiles on the path, hoping to beat his record this time. To his delight, he completed his course in fifteen seconds.</p><p>  “Yay! That’s a new best record!” Tenma pumped his fist.</p><p>  “Tenma!”</p><p>  Turning around, Tenma blinked as his new friend ran down to him. “Shinsuke.”</p><p>  “You’re here half an hour early and you’re already practicing?”</p><p>  “Yeah!” Tenma nodded. “I just couldn’t wait any longer.”</p><p>  Shinsuke chuckled and folded his hands behind his head. “Actually, neither could I.”</p><p>  Tenma grinned at his friend with a determined look in his eyes. “Let’s do our best in today’s entrance exam!”</p><p>  “Yeah!” Shinsuke threw his bag to the side with Tenma’s and joined his friend on the field. Together, they started passing the ball to each other.</p><p>  “Tenma, you aren’t from Japan, aren’t you?” Shinsuke asked curiously the question that has been on his mind since he met the brunet.</p><p>  “What makes you think so?”</p><p>  “Your Japanese has a weird accent.” Shinsuke pointed out. Tenma sweatdropped at that as he realized that he indeed had an accent when he spoke Japanese. While he wasn’t trying to hide that he lived overseas, he also needed to be cautious about the information he gives out or people will figure out he’s one of the princes of Wythras.</p><p>  Tenma paused in his passes and gave his friend a slight smile. “You know that I was born and raised in Okinawa. But when I was five, something happened to my mother. And we had to move to Europe. So, I lived there for the past eight years. But I managed to get a chance to come back to Japan to play soccer at Raimon.”</p><p>  “Because of the ball.” Shinsuke nodded in understanding. His friend had told him the story behind the lightning mark on the ball that saved his life and the reason he started playing soccer.</p><p>  “Exactly. I really want to find that person again by playing in Raimon.”</p><p>  “Then did you play on a team before?”</p><p>  “No. I was homeschooled and my mother was really protective. So I had to learn to play soccer from my brother.” Tenma rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.</p><p>  “Heh. Then how did you convince her to let you come to Japan?”</p><p>  “Ah…” Tenma should have known that Shinsuke would ask that. He didn’t want to talk about his mother and how she didn’t have a choice in the matter because of her condition. He adverted his eyes away and they landed on the clock. And he gaped when he saw the time.</p><p>  “We need to go now if we want to make it to school on time!” Tenma said as he rushed over to their bags, passing Shinsuke’s one to him as they ran to school, the subject of Tenma’s mother temporarily dropped.</p><hr/><p>Tenma and Shinsuke barely paid attention to any of the teachers in class as all they could think of was the entrance exam. Thankfully, as the first day of class, it was mostly introductory topics and Aoi had notes for them.</p><p>  And while they were practicing during break, Aoi made a new friend in Seto Midori, a senior who can rival punk in toughness. But she was friendly enough with them and that made a better impression for Tenma. Apparently, she was interested in Tenma ever since the match yesterday. They also got to witness Shinsuke’s impressive jump power when he intercepted a ball that Tenma accidentally kicked too high.</p><p>  When their break was ending, they made their way back to the school building. But before they could enter, Tenma caught punk leaning against the wall out of the corner of his eye.</p><p>  Anger swelled in Tenma as he remembered how the punk hurt the members of the soccer club, especially the captain. Waving at his friends to go in first, he walked up to the punk who was immersed with his phone.</p><p>  When the punk sensed him approaching, he looked up with a sneer but it morphed into shock and slight terror at the sight of Tenma.</p><p>  The brunet had what his father called the steel glare. As per its name states, Tenma’s face was blank but his eyes were cold, hard and could cut through a person like a sword. He stood tall as he stared down at the punk, never mind that the punk is the taller one.</p><p>  “I’m joining the soccer club.” Tenma’s voice was eerily cold, a stark contrast to his passionate declarations for his love of soccer the day before.</p><hr/><p>  Tsurugi will never admit it in a million years, but Matsukaze Tenma was scaring him now. It was not just the glare that made him take a small step back, but the red that rimmed his irises and the barest appearance of the brat’s Keshin aura, except it was more volatile than before.</p><p>  The only thought that came to his mind is that Matsukaze Tenma is no ordinary newbie.</p><p>  The brat’s blank façade broke into a slight smirk as he leaned in closer to Tsurugi, who barely resisted the urge to take another step back.</p><p>  “Don’t give the senpais or my friends any trouble. I will know and I will make you wish you didn’t.” Matsukaze said softly that only he can hear.</p><p>  Tsurugi stepped away with a sneer, “What can you do to me, a SEED? You’re just a newbie in soccer who acts like you know everything about soccer.”</p><p>  If anything, Matsukaze’s aura flared up slightly as his smirk grew. “You have no idea what I am capable of.”</p><p>  Matsukaze closed his eyes and took a step back. “I do not know what the people you work for would gain by attacking Raimon, but I can assure you that they will have more to lose if they try again.”</p><p>  With that, Matsukaze bowed and went inside the building. Tsurugi dare not breath until the doors slid close behind him.</p><p>  He heaved a sigh of relief but and wiped the cold sweat off his brows. “What in the world was that?” He stared at his phone in contemplation before deciding to pass a message to Kuroki that there may be another person of interest in Raimon.</p><hr/><p>  When Tenma entered the building, Aoi breath out in relief that her friend was calm now. She knew what would happen whenever he got angry and she didn’t sympathize the punk the slightest. That was why she made Shinsuke and Midori go ahead first while she waited for Tenma to say what he needs to say to the punk.</p><p>  “So?”</p><p>  “He knows who to expect if he tries anything on the club members again.” Tenma shrugged. But as they walked to the locker room, Tenma had a contemplative look that made Aoi tilt her head at him.</p><p>  “What’s wrong?”</p><p>  “I don’t get it. The punk is very good in soccer yet he says that he hates it and uses it to hurt others. And I can’t help but feel that that’s a lie he tells himself.”</p><p>  “Hm, maybe he has his own problems in life that he feels like he has to use soccer to vent out his anger at people.” Aoi suggested.</p><p>  “That’s…sad.” Tenma lowered his head. “I just get the feeling that he loves soccer with how good he is. He wouldn’t be so if he didn’t have the slightest bit of passion and love for it.”</p><hr/><p>  The moment the final bell rang, Tenma and Shinsuke took off to the soccer building, leaving Aoi sighing in exasperation at them but following at a more steadfast pace.</p><p>    Soon, the two and three other first years were lined up before the coach, captain and goalkeeper. Aoi was with Otonashi-sensei as the new manager with another senior. Unsurprisingly, there was barely anyone who wanted to join the club.</p><p>  Once roll call was over, Kudou explained the tests to the candidates. “All of you will be playing as if you were in a real game, and your actions will determine if you pass or fail.”</p><p>  “Yes sir.”</p><p>   Tenma took in the captain’s resigned look and narrowed his eyes. Out of the corner of his eyes, he caught sight of punk who settled on the stairs to watch the proceedings.</p><p>  “The five of you will go up against our second and third years. You can play whatever way you wish.” Kudou told them.</p><p>  Tenma exchanged nervous yet excited looks with Shinsuke. It was five candidates versus the remaining nine members. He and Shinsuke already made a plan to play to their strengths that morning. Shinsuke with his defense skills and him with his dribbling.</p><p>   “Let’s do our best and pass together!” He grinned at his friend who returned it with equal enthusiasm.</p><p>  “Yeah!”</p><p>   Tenma eyed the other candidates out of the corner of his eye and recognized some of the looks they had. He resisted the urge to smile and turned to Shinsuke. “Let’s see what those three do first.”</p><p>  “What?” Shinsuke cocked his head in confusion.</p><p>  “Trust me.” Tenma winked at his friend. “Let them do their thing first.”</p><p>  “Ok.” Shinsuke hesitantly nodded.</p><hr/><p> From the benches, Kudou eyed the two first years who didn’t move when the whistle blew. Instead, it was the other three who passed the ball around. But it didn’t take long for the three to start arguing among each other and lose the ball.</p><p>  And based on his players’ looks, they also knew it was unlikely that those three will be selected. Kuramada had the ball and Kudou gave him a subtle nod at Nishizono’s direction. Kuramada took the cue and passed the ball to the short defender.</p><p>  Unfortunately, Nishizono fumbled and missed the ball that went to Hayami.</p><p>  “Shinsuke! Relax yourself!” Matsukaze encouraged his friend as he ran to Hayami. The midfielder was not expecting much from the player considering yesterday’s performance. But Tenma suddenly ran faster and stole the ball from under his feet, passing it to Nishizono.</p><p>  “Not bad.” Amagi muttered as he moved to intercept the short player.</p><p>  “Tenma!” Nishizono immediately passed back to Matsukaze. The brunet dribbled up the field and got pass Hamano, surprising some of them. But he came to a stop before Shindou.</p><p>  “Captain Shindou.”</p><p>  “Are you serious when you say you’ll pass?” The captain asked coolly.</p><p>  “Yes. I came to Raimon to play soccer. And that’s what I’m going to do.” There was a confidence in Tenma that Shindou envied. The captain didn’t want a player like this in the club. He too was once like this newcomer, naïve and believing that he can play soccer in Raimon. But now, he knew better. And the sooner he makes the newcomer see that, the sooner he will walk away from the soccer club.</p><p>  “There is no soccer here!” He roughly tackled the brunet with a ferocity that shocked everyone, especially Kirino.</p><p>  Matsukaze grimaced when he fell from the tackle. But when he got up, he offered the captain a small smile. “You’re good. As expected of Raimon’s captain. Guess I can’t get pass you easily. But I came too far to give up.”</p><p>  Shindou’s eyebrow twitched as his frustration increased. Why can’t he take the hint?!</p><p>  “Try it if you can.”</p><p>  “Alright.” Matsukaze beamed. “Shinsuke! Come on!”</p><p>  Before Shindou knew it, both first-years were tag teaming to steal the ball from him. A growl erupted from his throat, it didn’t take him long to see an opening and kick the ball at Kurama’s direction. But as the ball went pass Matsukaze from behind the teen, he unexpectedly brought his foot up and changed the trajectory of the ball by using his heel to kick it upwards.</p><p>  “Shinsuke!”</p><p>  “Right!” Nishizono demonstrated his impressive jump abilities to get the ball. But before his feet touched the ground, Shindou was in the air as well and easily kicked the ball towards Kirino.</p><p>   From there, Shindou was relentless in his plays. He constantly took the balls from the other first years in the rare moments they got the ball and from Matsukaze and Nishizono.</p><hr/><p>  The captain’s ferocity was getting to the candidates, including Shinsuke, Tenma realized. After the nth time Shindou stole the ball from Shinsuke, he kicked the ball back at the player. But Shinsuke remained unmoving, feeling discouraged.</p><p>  “Maybe it was it was impossible, thinking we could pass…”</p><p>  “Don’t look at the clouds when you can search for the stars! We can still do this!” Tenma yelled out encouragements to his friend with a wide smile as he took the ball. “If I can come to Raimon despite my impossible situation, you can get into the club too!”</p><p>  “Tenma that baka!” Aoi groaned as she hid her face in her hands.</p><p>  “What did he mean by that?” Midori tilted her head in confusion.</p><p>  “It’s a phrase that Tenma’s family uses to say that they shouldn’t give up or be pessimistic.” Aoi said after a moment of pause.</p><p>  “As long as we don’t give up, it’ll work out somehow!” Narrowing his eyes at the players before him, flashes of the tiles came to his mind. This was just like his training from this morning!</p><p>   He easily got pass the two forwards and then there was the captain. Tenma had a wry look as he knew, he just knew the captain would not make it easy for him. Nevertheless…</p><p>  “I didn’t come all the way to Japan to come to Raimon to play soccer here just to give up now!”</p><hr/><p>   An hour later, Kudou called an end to the test. Aoi immediately rushed to Tenma and Shinsuke’s side. The shorter player was spurred by Tenma’s encouraging optimism and joined his friend in attempting to get past the captain. Though neither were successful despite coming close several times, Aoi smiled lightly at their bright, smiling faces.</p><p>  “That was loads of fun.” Tenma giggled as he and Shinsuke got up.</p><p>  “Yeah!” Shinsuke nodded in agreement.</p><p>  “You two are dorks.” Aoi sighed but the affection in her tone was not fooling anyone.</p><p>  “I will announce the results now.” Kudou spoke once all five candidates were lined up in front of him. “The candidates who passed are…Matsukaze Tenma. Nishizono Shinsuke.”</p><p>  The looks of the Raimon players were a mixture of disbelief and surprise while the other candidates protested the results only to be shut down by a glare from Kudou.</p><p>  “I guess that’s that.” Tenma hummed as the other first years stormed away, muttering under their breaths.</p><p>  “Did you know that this would happen?” Shinsuke stared at him with wide eyes. The other players paused to see how Tenma would answer. Even Kudou had his head tilted at him to hear his response.</p><p>  “Adversary will reveal those who are true and sincere at heart.” Tenma echoed back his father’s words. “If they couldn’t handle the captain’s ferocity, they can’t handle anything in the club. Plus, their attitudes stink.”</p><p>  Now that Shinsuke thought about it, those three had argued with each other early on and had given up on trying to take the ball from the captain very fast. If Tenma had not encouraged him to not give up, he might be leaving the field with them. His friend is special, that’s for certain.</p><p>  “Then did you figure out what I was looking for in a player in this exam?” Kudou unexpectedly asked Tenma.</p><p>  Tenma straightened and looked at the coach with a knowing look. “If you have found what you are looking for in Shinsuke and I, I’m not the one who needs to answer that.” Tenma looked at the captain at the last part.</p><p>  “How rude!” Someone snapped at him.</p><p>  Kudou merely closed his eyes and nodded. “A fine answer.” He said to the surprise of everyone. But Shindou looked conflicted as he glared at the ground. He understood that Kudou wants him to see why he chose those two over the others. And a part of him did. He knew their persistence and passion for soccer played a huge role in Kudou’s choice. But he just could not understand why. Why did the coach accept this kind of people into the club when Raimon’s soccer club is falling apart?</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. First Day in the Soccer Club</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I’m glad to hear that you got into the club.” Abel said to his brother over the phone.</p><p>  Tenma hummed as he dried his hair with a towel. He had just gotten out of the shower when Abel called him. He absently rubbed Sasuke’s tummy while answering, “I’m getting to know the coach’s temperament. He’s someone who wants the best for the club. If that means having players who love soccer to inspire his team, he’ll make that happen.”</p><p>  “Have you figure out about the situation of the Japan’s Youth soccer?” Abel asked tentatively.</p><p>  “Not all the pieces but enough to figure out that something is wrong. The captain and the remaining players…they are scared of something that is preventing them from enjoying soccer like they should.” Tenma frowned. “And there is Tsurugi Kyousuke.”</p><p>  “The punk? You can probably handle him with your steel glare.” Abel huffed in amusement.</p><p>  “As a matter of fact, I did.” Tenma smiled slightly. He then became somber. “Abel, what is going on in Japan’s soccer scene?”</p><p>  Abel was silent on the other end for a few minutes and Tenma was starting thing think he had hung up when his brother slowly answered, “I can’t really say much. I’m not too sure about the details either. If I find something, I will let you know but I think you will be faster than me.”</p><p>  “But you know something.” Tenma narrowed his eyes.</p><p>  “It’s not something I can talk about over the phone. By the way, Dahlia been stalled in Wythras. So it’ll be some time before she can go work in Raimon.” Abel hesitated before pleading. “Try to stay out of trouble until then.”</p><p>  “No promises.” Tenma hummed, inwardly laughing at his brother’s exasperated groan.</p><hr/><p> “We did it. We did it. We did it!” Tenma could barely contain his excitement as he ran to school. Thanks to his dribbling skills, he managed to avoid the pedestrians…well, most of them.</p><p>  “Ah-! I’m sorry!” Tenma quickly apologized when he collided with someone.</p><p>   “That’s ok. Be more careful in the future” The person dusted off himself. Upon closer inspection, Tenma paled when he realized it was Raimon’s goalie.</p><p>  “I’m so sorry, senpai!” Tenma bowed.</p><p>  The goalie blinked at him and his eyes lighted up in recognition. “You’re Matsukaze Tenma, one of the new members of the club.”</p><p>  “Yes!” Tenma gulped, not daring to look up.</p><p>  “Relax, I’m not mad.”</p><p>  Tenma tentatively raised his head and to his relief, the goalie was indeed not mad but had a warm smile.</p><p>  “I am Sangoku Taichi, Raimon’s first team goalkeeper.” Sangoku extended a hand. Tenma smiled and took it.</p><p>  “Matsukaze Tenma, nice to officially meet you.”</p><p>  Sangoku nodded and gestured for them to walk as they talk. “You have made quite an impression on the club for the last two days.”</p><p>  “I promise I never meant to join the game with the punk’s team. I just asked the coach if there was anything we could do to help the team. Guess it’s a lesson to remember to be careful with what I ask for.” Tenma scratched the back of his head sheepishly.</p><p>  “Kudou-kantoku’s always been non-forthcoming about his intentions. But they usually work out in the end.” Sangoku reassured him.</p><p>  “I don’t know about that. I ended up making things worse.”</p><p>  “If it wasn’t for you pleading to Shindou not to give up, he would not have been able to summon out his Keshin and make the Fifth Sector retreat.”</p><p>  Tenma looked at his senior with slightly narrowe eyes. “Fifth Sector?”</p><p>  Sangoku realized his said too much and quickly shook his head. “It’s not my place to say anything about them.” Clearing his throat, he changed the subject. “By the way, I’m pretty sure many people are already speculating this, but are you Japanese?”</p><p>  “…Is it the accent?” Tenma grimaced. “I’m trying my best to make it less noticeable.”</p><p>  “Hate to tell you this, but anyone who was born and raised in Japan will notice it.”</p><p>  “I was born in Okinawa and my mother is Japanese. But I spent the last eight years in Europe. Does that answer your question?” Tenma raised an eyebrow at the older teen.</p><p>  “Hm. And your father? Is he Japanese too?”</p><p>  It was as though a switch was flipped and Tenma’s face became blank and cold. “I don’t know.”</p><p>  Dread filled Sangoku when he realized he unintentionally stepped into dangerous territory. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”</p><p>  Tenma forced himself to remain calm. Sangoku did not deserve his steel glare or anger. It was a valid, innocent question and Tenma should have expected it. He offered the goalie a small smile and shook his head. “It’s fine. I don’t like to talk about him.”</p><p>  They continued to walk in awkward silence until the reached the gates. Tenma turned to Sangoku and gave him a polite bow. “I’ll see you after school then, senpai.”</p><p>  “Right.” Sangoku nodded awkwardly as Tenma immediately made his way to the school building. He heaved a sigh and made his way to the soccer building. Just when he and Matsukaze were getting along, he blew it. He knew many of his teammates were not happy with the inclusion of Matsukaze on the team, Shindou especially. He understood their reservations of welcoming any soccer loving players on the team. They too were once like that until their delusions of playing soccer were shattered by the Fifth Sector. And he can understand Shindou’s reasonings of not wanting that to happen to the new players because when it happens, Shindou will feel the most responsible for it.</p><p>  But Matsukaze was more perceptive than they thought. He probably figured out that something was wrong even if he doesn’t know about the Fifth Sector. Kudou had explicitly told them not to tell the new members about the Fifth Sector and he and Otonashi will handle that.</p><p>And Sangoku will respect that. But deep down, he had a sinking feeling about his coach. There was something the coach was not telling them and it was unnerving him.</p><hr/><p>  First day of practice went about with many of the members ignoring the two first years. Tenma was fine with that considering his awkwardness towards Sangoku. The goalie was distant from the first years yet offered kind encouragements when he can. The other members however were following the captain’s lead in pretending that Tenma and Shinsuke were not around.</p><p>  At least they got to see some of the senior’s hissastsu moves, Tenma thought wryly as he, Shinsuke and Aoi chatted as they walked back home.</p><p>  “It’s too bad that we didn’t get to practice with the senpais at all.” Shinsuke frowned. “At this rate, we won’t be able to improve and they might take us off the first team.”</p><p>  “Don’t worry Shinsuke. As long as we work hard, it’ll work out somehow.” Tenma grinned fiercely.</p><p>  Any doubt that Shinsuke had evaporated when he recognized the same determination in his friend’s eyes that gave him trust and hope in his friend’s words. Smiling back, he pumped his fists in determination. “You’re right. We’ll do what we can tomorrow.”</p><p>    “Yeah!”</p><p>  Little did they know, their days in the club were going to be a lot harder. The next day, when they arrived at the club room, to their surprise, everyone was already there. Tenma narrowed his eyes as he surveyed the room. The seniors, Otonashi and Kudou were looking tensed for some reason and held barely contained disgust in front of the new players and managers. At the back of the room, Tsurugi was looking smug.</p><p>  Alarms sounded in Tenma’s mind at the mention of a practice match, not because of the match itself, but the seniors’ reaction to it. They didn’t look happy about the practice match at all. This was evident by their half-hearted practice compared to yesterday’s. And as the day before, the punk was not joining practice and was looking so smug that Tenma wanted to punch his face. But he promised the captain that he will restrain himself and not cause anymore trouble with the punk.</p><p>That does not mean he has other ways to wipe the smirk of his face.</p><p>  “I don’t see why you have to practice today when you are only going to lose tomorrow.” Tsurugi spoke up with a sneer when Kudou called for a break.</p><p>  “That punk…” Kuramada clenched his fist angrily with a heated glare. “Just you wait…!”</p><p>  “Kuramada-senpai, I know that I said that he was a punk before, but in my head, I upgraded him to emo edge lord.” Tenma unexpectedly spoke up calmly. That did the trick of shifting everyone’s attention on him, and calming Kuramada down. Everyone looked at him with weird looks and Shindou gave him a warning shake of his head, which he ignored.</p><p>  “What was that?!” Tsurugi growled at him.</p><p>  Tenma went to stand in front of Tsurugi with his back to his new teammates. As such, they didn’t see him give Tsurugi a fleeting steel glare that made him clamp his mouth shut and take a step back.</p><p>  Tenma knew that he won and gave him an innocent smile. “You know what, I should apologize to you too. We are on the same team and will be working together in the future. I promise that I will not call you punk or emo edge lord anymore, if you promise not to aggravate the senpais anymore.”</p><p>  “Whatever!” Tsurugi snapped and stormed away.</p><p>  ‘That dork…he purposely did this to make Tsurugi leave the field and make sure that none of the senpais got into trouble.’ Aoi blinked with a small smile as Tenma moved back to her side to take a drink from his bottle, not minding the other players’ gaping and curious expression.</p><hr/><p>  Kudou eyed Matsukaze intently as the boy diffused a potential fight by manipulating the SEED to leave the field. But for a moment, it looked as if Tsurugi was scared of Matsukaze, a distinct contrast of how the SEED usually looked down on Matsukaze.</p><p>  There was something unique about the boy’s soccer that was so similar to that person’s. It was the kind that was passionate and stemmed for their love for the sport. But that was where the similarities ended. Matsukaze was perceptive and a little cunning, but in a good way he supposed. So far, Matsukaze was more interested in protecting the team and his friends rather than using his manipulations for his own gain. So for the time being, he will let the boy do what he wants to observe him further.</p><p>  And Sangoku told him about his conversation with the first year that morning and his suspicions that Matsukaze might know more about the Fifth Sector than they realize. To be fair, after the match from the first day, anyone will be suspicious. But it was likely that Matsukaze also figured out something was seriously wrong with the practice match.</p><p>  Kudou knew his time in Raimon was coming to an end with the match with Eito and Endou will take over if Megane was successful in hacking into the Fifth Sector. It was cruel to do this to his students, but it was necessary if they want to take down the Fifth Sector. If anyone can guide them, especially Matsukaze and Nishizono, to play real soccer and bring out their best, it was him.</p><hr/><p>  Later, Aoi and Tenma were headed to the supermarket to run errands while Shinsuke headed back home first to get started on homework. This allowed them to talk freely.</p><p>  “You never cease to amaze me when you do that.” Aoi told her friend, referring to how Tenma diffused the situation during practice. “It really pays to be perceptive and manipulative.”</p><p>  “If I wasn’t, I would have died from humiliation by now.” Tenma rolled his eyes slightly. He then became serious. “Did you notice anything about the senpais?”</p><p>  “They looked unhappy about the practice match.” Aoi frowned.</p><p>  “I think it has something to do with whoever sent punk to destroy the Raimon soccer club and this Fifth Sector.”</p><p>  “Fifth Sector?” Aoi raised a questioning eyebrow at him. “I don’t think you would know about them since you were living overseas. It is the organization that manages Japan’s soccer. Where did you hear about them?”</p><p>  “Sangoku-senpai slipped the name to me when I bumped into him this morning.” Tenma tilted his head up to stare at the sky. “I know I heard the name somewhere. But…”</p><p>  Seeing the apprehensive look on her childhood friend’s face, Aoi gave him a worried look. “Tenma?”</p><p>  “I don’t know why, I feel afraid when I think about the name.” Tenma said softly. He turned to her with a shrug and reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll figure it out soon.”</p><p>  “Hm. I forgot this ask this earlier, but do you have any news on your mom?”</p><p>  “No changes yet. But father wants to move her to Switzerland for safety.” Tenma shook his head and Aoi knew he was hiding a lot of pain behind his eyes. “Abel promised he will call if there is any changes but he’s busy now. And he can’t go with mama when they transfer her.”</p><p>  “Is the insurgent situation that bad?” Aoi whispered.</p><p>  “They won’t tell me anything about it. And there isn’t any news coverage on it outside Wythras.” Tenma said in frustration.</p><p> “They don’t want you to worry while you’re here. They want you safe and be able to play soccer freely.” Aoi placed a comforting hand on his arm.</p><p>  “I know.” Tenma gave her a sad smile. “I just wish that I didn’t get to come here at the expense of mama and Wythras’ peace.”</p><p>  “What you can do for them is do your best in Raimon, starting with the practice match tomorrow.”</p><p>  “I will.” Tenma nodded with a determined look. ‘And I will find the person who hurt mama and make him pay.’ He silently thought.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Eito</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>There is something I failed to clarify when I first published this fic and I sincerely apologize for this oversight. I was partially inspired by Accidental Reverse to write this, mainly because of chaos!Tenma. But this is not a time travel fic or having Tenma intentionally cause chaos. Tenma is only a little smarter and will have some problems with his Keshin, but in a very different way from Accidental Reverse. The Thai drama I mentioned in the summary is still the main source of the concept of the fic and Tenma's Keshin problems were a last minute addition.</p><p>Also, massive cannon divergence from here.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> The next day was the day the practice match with Eito will be held. But Aoi was unable to think of that as she stared at her childhood friend who just walked into the soccer club room. Tenma had scrapes and band aids on his face, nothing like how he looked when they parted ways the day before. Thankfully, no one was around so no one is freaking out yet.</p><p>  “It’s not as bad as it looks.” Tenma said weakly.</p><p>  “You were practicing at the riverbank, weren’t you?” She asked in slight exasperation as she grabbed Tenma’s chin and tilted it to better examine his face. “Really, you need to be more carefully.”</p><p>  “I know. Aki-nee lectured me already. But I just couldn’t shake the feeling that something’s up with the practice match.”</p><p>  Aoi bit her lip as she let Tenma go. “I hope that nothing happens during the match.”</p><p>  “I’m more worried of what won’t happen.” Tenma frowned. “There is something that the coach isn’t telling us.”</p><p>  Their conversation tapered off when the seniors came into the room, one by one. Shinsuke, Midori and Akane joined them and gasped at Tenma’s face.</p><p>  “I’m fine.” He waved absentmindedly as he searched for the captain or the coach amongst the sea of players. Unfortunately, the both of them were at the other side of the room whispering in hushed tones. Tenma debated going up to them to confront them but decided against it. He didn’t want to accidentally annoy, or worse, anger them.</p><p> But that meant that he won’t get answers before the match.</p>
<hr/><p>  Just as Tenma feared and suspected, there was something wrong with the match. The seniors were deliberately allowing Eito’s players through their defense and scoring goals they could easily block. And no one was putting any real effort in scoring either. Whenever he or Shinsuke tried to make an effort to help the team win a point, Shindou would strategically direct them to the opponent’s players who easily stole the ball from them.</p><p>  “What is going on?” Tenma hissed when Sangoku failed to stop the second ball into the goal. The problem was that he had seen the goalkeeper in action for the past few days and he was not up to his usual standard. He glared at Shindou but it fell when he saw the hurt and anger in the captain’s eyes. He turned to observe every other member of the team and saw just how much they wanted to play. But something was holding them back, something was preventing them from going all out. They were scared of something and it was making them angry because they couldn’t play real soccer.</p><p>Narrowing his eyes, he stormed up to the captain, never mind that they had to get back in position for the kickoff. When he got close to the captain, the older boy frowned warily when he noticed the first year approaching him angrily.</p><p>  “Captain, what is going on?” Something on Tenma’s face told the captain that he was not going to leave him alone until he got answers. But Shindou had no energy to deal with the first year nor did he want to be the one to tell him the truth.</p><p>  “Matsukaze, get back into position. We have to resume the match.” He told the junior coolly.</p><p>  Tenma however refused to budge. “I know that this match is nothing but a farce and something is stopping all of you from playing a match you can win.”</p><p>  “Just get back into position! I don’t have time to deal with this!” Shindou snapped at him, shocking Tenma and Kirino.</p><p>  Tenma gaped at his captain before schooling his face to become blank. “As you wish.” He got back to his position without another word, ignoring Shinsuke’s troubled glances.</p><p>  Some of the Raimon players, especially the two forwards, were glaring at him. Kirino was giving Shindou worried looks while Sangoku shifted concerned gazes between the two fuming players.</p>
<hr/><p>  Guilt.</p><p>  That’s what Shindou felt when Matsukaze moved away with a blank look. He didn’t mean to snap at the first year. But he really didn’t have the emotional capacity to deal with Matsukaze while playing a farce of a match. Nevertheless, he knew that he will have to make it up to him eventually or Sangoku will make him.</p><p>  Kurama passed the ball back to him when the whistle blew. He glanced back at Matsukaze who remained motionless…wait, was that Keshin aura coming out of him?!</p><p>  “Tenma!?” Nishizono cried out in alarm when Matsukaze lifted his head, revealing grey eyes that were rimmed red as the aura swirled violently.</p><p>  Before Shindou could blink, Matsukaze had ran past him and stole the ball. His eyes widened as Tenma drew back his leg, a silent scream of terror on his lips. He had to stop him before he scored and disrupted the score order!</p><p>  “Matsukaze! Stop!” Sangoku also yelled at the midfielder as he realized what was happening. But it was too late. To the horror of the original players of the Raimon soccer team, Matsukaze kicked the ball straight towards the goal with immense power that Shindou associated with Keshins. In fact, it was so powerful, it sent the players of Eito flying as they tried to stop the ball.</p><p>   Thankfully, luck was either on their side or on Eito’s. The ball swerved off course at the last minute, hitting the goalpost and out of bounds. For a second, no one dared to breath until the whistle for half time sounded.</p><p>  Shindou slowly turned to Matsukaze…only to see him run off the field and back into the stadium despite Otonashi and Sorano’s calls.</p><p>  “Leave him.” Kudou told them. Turning back to his players, he motioned for them to gather at the bench. All of them hesitantly returned to their side of the bench. When Kudou glanced sideways at the SEED that was dispatched to their team, he was not too surprise to see the gaping, shocked look on the teen.</p><p>  Sangoku finally found his voice to ask, “Kantoku, what in the world was that?”</p><p>  Kudou shifted his gaze to Sorano who shrank back under his glare. “Sorano, you know Matsukaze the longest. Do you know what happened to him?”</p><p>  Sorano gulped as all eyes turned to her. She rubbed her hands together nervously. “I’ve only seen this happen once, a long time ago.”</p><p>  Shindou folded his arms. “What exactly happened just now?”</p><p>  “I don’t know the full details of what it is but it happens when Tenma gets angry, like really angry.” Aoi said hesitantly. “The last time it happened, Tenma got so angry he sent a mugger flying several meters away after he knocked Tenma’s mother down when he tried to snatch her purse. And he had red rimmed eyes and that aura like just now.” She paused before continuing, “He couldn’t remember what happened during that incident. And his brother confided to me that it has happened before and he never has any recollection of what happens when he goes berserk.”</p><p>  “That was Keshin aura.” Shindou said softly, garnering surprised from everyone. But Kudou nodded in agreement with the game maker’s deduction. “How do we snap him out of it?”</p><p>  “I don’t know.” Aoi shook her head. “Tenma’s mother took him away immediately after it happened but I can try to call his brother now.”</p><p>  “Do it.” Kudou nodded at her. She nodded and stepped aside to make the call. Kudou turned back to Shindou. “In the meantime, go find Matsukaze.”</p><p>  Shindou was not pleased with the order. But he was the captain of the team and he had a responsibility to look out for his teammates. So he nodded and went to look for the missing player. Sangoku got up and quickly joined him.</p><p>  “We can find him faster with more people.” Sangoku explained when Shindou raised an eyebrow at him.</p><p>  “The sooner the better.” Shindou muttered before they disappeared back into the stadium.</p><p>  “That kid is so troublesome.” Kurama muttered grouchily as he took a swing of his bottle.</p><p>  “It’s only thanks to his aim being off that the ball didn’t enter the goal.” Hamano chuckled nervously but there was an underlying tension in his body that the forward recognized which is the only reason why he didn’t snap at him. “At least he didn’t disrupt the score order.”</p><p>  “What?!”</p><p>  Kurama and Hamano spun around and to their horror, it was Midori who yelled. She rounded at them with fury in her eyes and posture.</p><p>  “What do you mean by score order?” She seethed. Behind her, Kirino facepalmed while Otonashi buried her face in her hands and Kudou’s face was unreadable. Nishizono was looking confused while everyone else exchanged horrified looks.</p>
<hr/><p>  “You take the locker room while I’ll look there.” Shindou nodded at one path of the fork.</p><p>  Sangoku nodded and went to the other path. “Call if you find him. But we need to hurry, there’s not much time before the second half.”</p><p>  “Got it.” Shindou nodded and they went their separate ways. Shindou frowned as he walked down the corridor, keeping his eyes and ears peeled. For a second back there, he really thought that the ball would have entered the goal and they will have the wrath of the Fifth Sector descending on them for the second time in a week. He sighed as he thought about how crazy his first week has been. Not even one week and he was considering stepping down because of everything that has happened. He really was not cut out for this.</p><p>  *Boom*</p><p>  Shindou jumped at the loud sound and ran towards it. When he rounded the corner, his eyes widened at the sight of someone crumpled in a heap and unconscious a few meters away from Matsukaze who was curled into a ball, his Keshin aura still swirling erratically. Belatedly he remembered Sorano’s story of how Matsukaze sent a mugger flying with his Keshin aura alone and shuddered. He had to be very careful or he’ll be next. But upon closer inspection of the unconscious man, dread filled Shindou when he recognized him as Kuroki, the Black Knight’s coach. That meant the Fifth Sector knew about Matsukaze’s potential to summon a Keshin and wanted to take him away.</p><p>  He had to get Matsukaze out of here before more people from the Fifth Sector came. Squaring his shoulders, Shindou sent Sangoku a message to find them and slowly approached the younger teen. But as though Matsukaze sensed him, he felt the Keshin aura lashing out at him. In a panic, he too accidentally summoned out his Keshin aura, and it was also lashing out in response to being threatened by Matsukaze’s aura.</p><p>  Shindou’s eyes widened in fright at his Keshin aura. “No. no. no. no-!” He tried to get his aura under control. But as someone who only found out he could summon a Keshin not even a week before, he had no idea how to dismiss his Keshin properly and the aura was instead fighting against him.</p><p>  “Shindou!”</p><p>  “Don’t come any closer!” Shindou managed to warn Sangoku before he gasped when a third party’s Keshin aura approached them. “Don’t-!”</p><p>  “It’s ok. I’m not going to hurt you.” A warm voice told him, and his Keshin aura’s calm presence slowly reached out to his out of control one. The nonthreatening nature of the stranger’s aura managed to sooth Shindou’s aura until it slowly vanished.</p><p>  Shindou blinked at the stranger that helped him. However, words failed him when he recognized the person as Endou Mamoru, the legendary goalkeeper and captain of Inazuma Japan.</p><p>  “Shindou?” Sangoku tentatively placed a hand on his shoulder to check on him, but at the same time gaping at the presence of his idol.</p><p>  “I’m fine.” Shindou managed to say. He looked at Endou and then at Matsukaze who was still lashing out with his aura. “How…?”</p><p>  “I’ll explain everything later when Kudou-kantoku will let me.” Endou said as he slowly approached Matsukaze. Like with Shindou, his nonthreatening Keshin aura was slowly putting Matsukaze’s at easy. “But for now, I need to calm down his aura and get him away from the Fifth Sector. And you two need to get back to your match.”</p><p>  “He’s right.” Sangoku frowned when he realized that there was barely any time before the second half started. But neither of them was comfortable with leaving a stranger alone with Matsukaze, even if he is a famous soccer player. However, Endou was the only person who can help Matsukaze now. Matsukaze’s Keshin aura will only lash out again if they tried to take him back.</p><p>  “He’ll be fine. Tell Kudou-kantoku that I’m taking him back to Aki’s place. He’ll understand it.” Endou reassured them, seeing their reluctance. Already, Matsukaze’s aura had dissipated until it was nearly gone.</p><p>  “…Fine.” Shindou finally nodded. He and Sangoku quickly made their way back to the field to report this to Kudou, hoping that they didn’t make a mistake in leaving Mastukaze alone.</p>
<hr/><p>    When they got back, Shindou caught Kudou’s eye and the coach frowned when he saw that Tenma was not with them. Shindou beckoned for the coach to step away from the team for a moment and the coach did so.</p><p>  “Where is Matsukaze?” The coach said without any preamble.</p><p>  Shindou and Sangoku exchanged glances and proceeded to tell Kudou about what happened in the corridor. The coach’s stern look became more severe at the mention that the Fifth Sector tried to take Matsukaze away but it relaxed minuscully when Endou came into the picture.</p><p>  “I trust Endou explicitly. He will help Matsukaze and ensure that he doesn’t fall into the Fifth Sector’s hands.” At that, Shindou and Sangoku sighed in relief. “In the meantime, don’t tell anyone about this. We cannot tip off the SEED yet.”</p><p>  “We understand.” Shindou hesitated before asking, “What about the match?”</p><p>  “We will continue playing. But Tsurugi will sub in for Matsukaze.”</p><p>  Shindou winced at that. For a split second, he really regretted attempting to drive the first years away as having them around meant that it was unlikely that the SEED will actually play. And Sangoku also realized the same thing, judging from his grimace.</p><p>  “And Kurama and Hamano accidentally revealed the score order to the newcomers.”</p><p>  Shindou strongly resisted the urge to groan and bang his head on the wall. This day couldn’t get any worse.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Coach Endou</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Aki sighed as she tucked her relative in bed and adjusted the cool, damp cloth on his forehead. Whenever he got these…episodes, he always became feverish and sick for a few days. She chewed on her lip as she remembered what Endou told her about what happened to Tenma. Her oldest friend had promised to come back and check on him once he met up with Kudou. In the meantime, she tried to get in touch with Abel but to no avail.</p><p>  She was forever grateful and relieved that it was Endou that found him and brought him back. She dreaded to think what would happen if the Fifth Sector took him. Tenma’s anonymity will come to an end and Abel and his father will have to take Tenma back to Wythras or send him somewhere else.</p><p>  A soft knock on the door brought her out of her musings. Seeing Aoi at the door, she smiled warmly and allowed her in. “Tenma is still sleeping.”</p><p>  “Is he alright?” She asked, eyeing the wet cloth in concern.</p><p>  “Just a little feverish. He’ll be fine in a day or two.” Aki reassured her. “How did the match go?”</p><p>  Aoi bit her lip as she averted her eyes. When she could not get a hold of Abel, she rejoined the group only to catch Otonashi’s explanation of the Fifth Sector and how they were dictating the scores of matches. Aki read the younger girl’s face and shook her head.</p><p>  “Never mind that. If you don’t feel like talking about it, I don’t mind. Did you call Abel earlier?”</p><p>  “I tried during half time, but he wasn’t picking up.”</p><p>  “Same here.” Aki narrowed her eyes. She brushed off her skirt and went to the door. “I’ll fix up some snacks for you. Endou-kun, and Kudou-kantoku perhaps, will be coming back later to talk about what happened to Tenma.”</p><p>  “The captain thinks it is a Keshin.” Aoi said softly.</p><p>  Aki paused and sighed tiredly. “I’m not surprised.”</p><hr/><p>  As Aki guessed, Endou came back with Kudou an hour after Aoi arrived. The two men were seated in the common living room and were left alone by the other residents at Aki’s request. She soon came in with a tray of tea for them.</p><p>  “I cannot thank you enough for calming Tenma down and bringing him back here.” Aki told her old friend.</p><p>  “It’s nothing.” Endou glanced at Kudou. “I happened to be there because Megane tipped me off that I should be there to see Raimon. Kudou-kantoku, why didn’t you tell us that it has gotten this bad with the Fifth Sector?”</p><p>  “I did not think the situation was that bad either until they wanted to abolish the club.” Kudou closed his eyes and huffed under his breath. “And Shindou and Matsukaze have targets on their backs because of their Keshins. Shindou however has his family background that ensures that Fifth Sector cannot touch him easily. Matsukaze on the other hand…”</p><p>  “Don’t worry, I will try to call his brother again and see if he can make any arrangements to keep the Fifth Sector away. His family is very influential in Europe.” Aki reassured him. When Kudou raised an eyebrow at her, she refused to elaborate, instead taking a sip of her tea.</p><p>  “If you say so.” Kudou then turned to Endou with a serious gaze. “Endou, the Fifth Sector has fired me from my position.”</p><p>  Endou and Aki were shocked at this. It was Endou who finally managed to ask, “Why? What excuse do they have to fire you?”</p><p>  “Matsukaze nearly scored a goal against the score order, so they are removing me for my inability to control my players. But we know that is not the case. They are getting rid of me so that they can get their hands on Shindou and Matsukaze’s powers.”</p><p>  “What should we do then?” Aki asked worriedly.</p><p>  “Endou, I need you to become the coach of Raimon.”</p><p>  Endou blinked at that confusedly. “Ha…? But the Fifth Sector…”</p><p>  “I had Megane hack into their system and replaced their coach with you. You should get a call from them soon about the offer.” Kudou said nonchalantly.</p><p>  “You have been planning this for a while, haven’t you?” Endou accused him.</p><p>  “Ever since Shindou found out he can use a Keshin, I knew it was only a matter of time before the Fifth Sector ousted me to gain control of his power. Matsukaze however accelerated ours and their plans.” Kudou fixed him a look. “Will you do it?”</p><p>  Endou set his lips in a firm line and nodded. “Of course. I will do my best to ensure that they can play real soccer.”</p><p>  The corner of Kudou’s lips twitched in the barest smile. “Good. In the meantime, I will do my part to find a way to bring down the Fifth Sector. Now that I am no longer the coach of Raimon, this might be an opportunity to investigate them.”</p><p>  “Be careful.” Endou and Aki nodded at him.</p><p>  Kudou nodded back and took a sip of his tea. “Also, we need to talk about Matsukaze and what happened during the match. How were you able to calm his and Shindou’s Keshins?”</p><p>  Endou grinned and raised his hand. Aki’s eyes became wide as the barest of Keshin aura appeared. Kudou’s face remained stoic but had an eyebrow raised. “That’s new.”</p><p>  “Yeah, I found out about it when I went to visit Rococo last month. He was great help in teaching me to control my Keshin. Apparently Cotarl has a deeper history with Keshins than we realized as they were actually one of the earliest discoverers of the power. But because of how isolated they are, no one outside knows about it.”</p><p>  Kudou slowly nodded in understanding. “With your grandfather at the forefront of soccer there, I am not surprised.”</p><p>  “So, you managed to calm down Tenma and Shindou with your Keshin?” Aki asked.</p><p>  “More or less. Shindou could have calmed Matsukaze down if he didn’t panic. I learned in Cotarl that Keshins are strongly linked to the users’ emotions. So Keshins can be strengthen or react to the user’s stronger emotions.”</p><p>  “When Shindou panicked, he made his Keshin panic as well.” Kudou theorized. “But that does not explain what happened with Matsukaze and his Keshin aura.”</p><p>  “He usually doesn’t remember anything during these episodes. And it makes him sick for a few days after it happens.” Aki frowned.</p><p>  “I have my suspicions but I want to confirm them with Rococo first and see if he can find out anything about it.”</p><p>  “Please do.” Kudou nodded and stood up. “I need to go now. Endou, I’m leaving the team in your hands. Do your best in the Holy Road.”</p><p>  “We will.” Endou remained seated as Aki saw their former coach out. When Aki returned, he offered her a comforting smile. “Don’t worry, I watch over Matsukaze and the team.”</p><p>  Aki managed a smile at her friend. “I know you will.”</p><hr/><p>    The next day, Shinsuke and Aoi stuck together for the majority of the day, especially during practice. The team was still reeling from Kudou’s dismissal and Tenma’s outburst during the match yesterday. Shindou especially was feeling responsible because he knew that it was because of his and Tenma’s Keshins that Kudou was removed. The Fifth Sector no doubt will send a coach that will make them work for the shady organization.</p><p>  Kirino and Sangoku were the ones who were concerned the most with the captain. But there is nothing they can do about it. Shindou will shoulder on every responsibility and problems in the club and nothing will persuade him to do otherwise. The best that they can do is protect Shindou the best they can and support him.</p><p>  “Captain.”</p><p>  Shindou raised an eyebrow at the youngest manager who approached him during the break. “What is it?”</p><p>  “Can we talk privately for a moment?”</p><p>  Shindou considered declining Aoi’s request, but something in her eyes told her it was urgent. So he nodded and motioned for her to follow him back to the building where no one, including Tsurugi, will overhear them.</p><p>  “What is it?” Shindou folded his arms.</p><p>  “It’s about Tenma.” At the mention of the first year’s name, Shindou’s frown deepened. Aoi continued, “He is feeling guilty about what happened yesterday during the match with Eito. He asked me to tell you that he will apologize to the club when he comes back tomorrow.”</p><p>  “Does he remember what happened yesterday?”</p><p>  “I gave him the barest details.”</p><p>  “Alright.” Shindou huffed. “And the Fifth Sector? Did you tell him?”</p><p>  “Yes.” Aoi nodded hesitantly, biting her lip and rubbing her hands together unconsciously. Shindou blinked and narrowed his eyes at her.</p><p> “Is there something wrong?”</p><p>  “Well, Tenma…I don’t know how to say it, but he’s more determined than ever to play soccer now.” Aoi winced at the dark look on Shindou’s face.</p><p>  “He knows that we cannot play soccer as we want to yet he wants to do it?” Shindou hissed in disbelief. Aoi wisely did not answer that.</p><p>  A few seconds of silence later, Aoi asked something that Tenma was dying to know but was too scared to ask, “Are you angry at him?”</p><p>  “What?”</p><p>  “He’s afraid that you and the other senpais are angry at him for what happened yesterday.” Aoi waved vaguely.</p><p>  Shindou sighed heavily and shook his head. “I’m not, I promise. I’m just angry at myself and the Fifth Sector. But I can’t speak for the others.”</p><p>  Aoi managed a slight smile at that. “I’ll let him know that. The team is probably the closest thing he has to friends other than Shinsuke and I.”</p><p>  Shindou made a sound of disbelief. As far as he knew, none of his teammates consider the first year to be a friend. “But…”</p><p>  “Tenma really wants to become friends with all of you.” Aoi’s smile turned awry. “He grew up in the protective household of a powerful family. So he has trouble socializing and doesn’t have any friends back at his home. I know that he can come off as excitable and annoying but he is trying.”</p><p>  Shindou was quiet as Aoi bowed and went back to the field. He might not like the first year very much, but he can understand now why he was trying so hard. He was not blind to the brunet’s cunningness and knew that he somehow scared the SEED into backing off from starting conflict with the team.</p><p>  But all that aside, he has no idea how to stop Tenma from playing the soccer he desires. Playing aggressively and acting cold did not work on him or Shinsuke. There was a desire to play real soccer deep inside of him that he tampered down as quick as it appeared. This was no time to consider that when the Fifth Sector is looming over them.</p><p>  Suddenly, Shindou found himself unable to go back to the field as the reality of what is happening to the team and him crashed down on him. They were going to shut down sooner or later, the Fifth Sector will see to that. And it will be his fault! Kudou did his best to shield the team from the Fifth Sector for so long but he was fired because of his Keshin!</p><p>  A sob escaped his mouth and he pressed his face into his hands as he cried. He was so tired of being helpless and unable to help the team. Why must the Fifth Sector ruin everything now?!</p><p>  He didn’t know how long he stayed like that until a familiar Keshin Aura slowly approached him. Shindou lifted his head and saw that it was Endou through his tears.</p><p>  “Endou-san…?”</p><p>  “Are you alright?” Endou asked kindly and dissipated his Keshin aura. Shindou quickly shook his head and wiped away his tears.</p><p>  “I’m fine. What brings you here, Endou-san?”</p><p>  Endou gave the captain a wry smile. “I’m the new coach of the team.”</p><p>  Shindou’s eyes widened in surprise. “What?! But Kudou-kantoku…”</p><p>  “He asked me to take the position. I promised him that I will do my best to protect you and Matsukaze.”</p><p>  “But the Fifth Sector was supposed to send a coach!” Shindou half-yelled uncomprehendingly.</p><p>  “Kudou-kantoku and I have friends in places that are still able to manipulate the Fifth Sector.” Endou said with an almost cheeky smile.</p><p>  Shindou was at lost as to how to respond to that. Endou’s smile turned comforting as he stepped back. “I know it’s a big change and you probably don’t trust me yet. But I hope that you can eventually understand Kudou-kantoku’s actions. I already made my introduction to the team so if you are feeling up for it, come by the riverbank after school. I’ll be holding practice there.”</p><p>  “What?” Shindou muttered after Endou left. “Why would he want us at the riverbank?”</p><p>  Suddenly he felt drained and emotionally exhausted from the crying he did just now. He sighed as he moved the locker room to change and call his chauffer. There is no way he can bring himself to go to classes today. He’ll leave Kirino a message and ask him to explain his absence to his teachers. As for afternoon practice…He will sit this one out.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The Riverbank</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Endou’s introduction to the team at the moment was not a very welcomed one, considering the team was a hair trigger away from breaking down. Many knew that the Fifth Sector was going to send in a new coach after getting rid of Kudou but they were not expecting someone like Endou to take up the position. First he told them to gather at the riverbank for practice after school, then he said that it was to win. No respectable coach from the Fifth Sector would tell them to win.</p><p>  And Shindou unsurprisingly called in sick and left before classes started. As such, the team was reluctant to obey the new coach.</p><p>  Thus, when the final bell rang, only Shinsuke, Otonashi and the managers gathered at the gates where Endou was waiting for them.</p><p>  “Right, let’s head off.” Endou clapped his hands and started off to the riverbank field.</p><p>  Otonashi walked beside him while the managers and Shinsuke chatted a little way back. Seeing that they were distracted, Otonashi whispered to the former captain, “Endou-san, did Kudou-kantoku arrange this?”</p><p>  “Yeah. He told me and Aki yesterday. It was quiet a shock.” Endou shrugged nonchalantly.</p><p>  “Shouldn’t we tell the other players that? They think that you were sent by the Fifth Sector to control Shindou-kun and Matsukaze-kun.”</p><p>  But Endou shook his head. “It’s better to let everyone assume that and learn to trust me in their own time. If it gets back to the Fifth Sector that they were hacked, the results could be disastrous.”</p><p>  Otonashi nodded in understanding despite not happy with the idea. With Tsurugi on the team, they had to be very careful of what they do. As much as she trusts the team, she knows that some of them have hot tempers and could accidentally let something slip.</p><p>  “I wish that they can see that you value their love for soccer over the Fifth Sector soon. So that they can enjoy soccer once again.” Otonashi confided to him.</p><p>  “They will.” Endou said with the same determination from ten years ago that made Otonashi believe him and the team he led to overcome any obstacles.</p><p>    They eventually arrived at the riverbank and to their surprise, Tenma was already there. He was clearly practicing his dribbling on the walk path tiles.</p><p>  “Tenma!” Aoi called out to her friend when she shook off the shock. Tenma paused in his practice and waved at them excitedly.</p><p>  “Hi guys!” He chirped as he ran over to them. “Aren’t you guys supposed to be in practice?”</p><p>  “Are you supposed to be in bed?” Midori retorted gruffly as she folded her arms. “Aoi said that you were sick.”</p><p>  “My fever broke late last night. Aki-nee just wants me to stay home for the day just in case. But she let me come out to practice when my fever didn’t come back by noon.” Tenma grinned.</p><p>  “It’s good to see that you are up, Matsukaze.”</p><p>  Tenma blinked at the person who spoke that and his eyes widened in shock and he nearly dropped his ball. “You’re…Endou Mamoru! The legendary goalkeeper and captain of Inazuma Japan!”</p><p>  Shinsuke was unable to contain himself and burst out. “And he’s our new coach!”</p><p>  Blinking dumbly, Tenma looked at his friend then to their new coach who was smiling sheepishly.</p><p>  “EH!?”</p><hr/><p>  After getting over the shock of having a famous soccer player as their coach, Tenma and Shinsuke started training under Endou who allowed Tenma to join in. Aoi had a soft smile as she helped Shinsuke practice his heading while watching Tenma out of the corner of her eye. The coach was watching Tenma practice his dribbling around cones and gave tips on how to be faster. It was a relief that Tenma was back to normal after what happened the day before.</p><p> Tenma caught her staring and gave her a grin before resuming practice. Aoi sighed inwardly with a smile. But she was still concern with the conversation she had with Tenma yesterday.</p><p>  An hour into practice, Endou decided to change things up. “Okay, next drill!” To their surprise, Endou joined them. “Tenma, dribble while coming after me! When I make the call, pass to Shinsuke.”</p><p>  “Okay!” The two players eagerly joined their coach in running after him and passing the ball with each other.</p><p>  “What a weird coach.” Midori remarked.</p><p>  “That’s Endou-san for you.” Otonashi smiled. “Always a soccer freak.”</p><p>  “Heh. The only people I can think of that can match him in freakiness are those two.” Midori snorted.</p><p>  “That’s not far off.” Aoi chuckled nervously as she joined them at the bench. Movement on the stairs made her pause and look up. There stood Tsurugi the punk who was watching them with a bored expression yet had a calculated look in his eyes.</p><p>  “Ignore him.” Otonashi advised her when she realized who the blue haired girl was staring at. “He has not caused any trouble so far.”</p><p>  “It’s only a matter of time until he does. The Fifth Sector could not get their hands on Tenma yesterday. Who knows what they will do in the future?” Aoi frowned as she spoke to the teacher softly so that the other two managers wouldn’t overhear.</p><p>  “I know you are worried, but I trust Endou-san to protect him and his players.” Otonashi tried reassured her. “Right now, the Fifth Sector will probably leave us alone for a while because of the Holy Road. Once it starts, they cannot do anything openly like they did on with the match with the Black Knights. And Kudou-kantoku told me that he will continue to secretly monitor them and warn us if they try to do anything.”</p><p>  “Let’s hope that they don’t.” Aoi said with an uneasy sigh. “Tenma…I say this with all the love and affection as a friend, but he never causes trouble but trouble always finds him.”</p><hr/><p>    The training that Endou set up was vigorous. It was no surprise that Shinsuke was panting and sweating heavily. But compared to Abel’s training to make him summon out his Keshin, it was relatively tame which is why he was less winded than his smaller friend.</p><p>  “What’s wrong? Worn out?” Endou smiled at Shinsuke.</p><p>  “Not yet!” Shinsuke quickly pushed his exhaustion aside. He was having too much fun to stop.</p><p>  “That’s the spirit.” Endou then turned to Tenma. “You’re doing better than I expected.”</p><p>  “My brother is a soccer player. He used to train me back at home.” Tenma explained, but not going into specifics.</p><p>  “I see.” Endou nodded in understanding. They resumed their little game until the ball rolled over to the stairs where Tsurugi was watching. Shinsuke and Tenma became wary but Endou seemed pleased weirdly.</p><p>  “Oh, you came Tsurugi. Could you get the ball for us?”</p><p>  “What?” Tsurugi narrowed his eyes at the coach who remained unfazed.</p><p> “Let’s play soccer!” He called out his famous catchphrase to try to convince him. But at the benches, Otonashi winced as provoking the SEED might not be a good idea, considering their situation.</p><p>  “It makes my blood boil…your ‘let’s play soccer’ that is.” Tsurugi fumed at the coach’s enthusiasm. It was becoming clear to him that Endou Mamoru was not sent by the Fifth Sector. But he had no idea how did the Fifth Sector make such a blunder. He will have to ask Kuroki to check and see if the Fifth Sector’s systems were tampered with. But for now, he will see how long Endou Mamoru can act like this.</p><p>  “Oh.” Endou remained oblivious to Tsurugi’s silent threat and suddenly turned around and called, “Hey! Don’t stay back there, guys! Come out!”</p><p>  To Tenma and Shinsuke’s surprise, most of the seniors save for Kirino, Shindou and Minamisawa came out of their hiding places where they were watching them practice, sporting sheepish and wary looks. Some of the wary looks were directed at Tenma who winced and stood up.</p><p>  “I’m sorry losing control and scaring everyone yesterday.” Tenma bowed in apology for his out of control moment.</p><p>  “Stop with the apologies! It’s getting annoying.” Kurama snapped, making Tenma flinch and quickly straighten up. But Sangoku narrowed his eyes at the forward and lightly smacked him over his head.</p><p>  “What was that for?” Kurama growled.</p><p>  “Stop being rude to the newcomers.” Sangoku gave him his patented no nonsense glare. Turning to Tenma, he nodded. “Apology accepted. We understand you did not mean it.” When Sangoku says that, it means it is final and no one can argue with him.</p><p>  Endou then took charge of the situation by having the players gather in front of the goal, despite some of them still distrusting him and wondering how they were roped into this. “For starters, show me your kick strength. One shoot each.”</p><p>  Seeing how the seniors were reluctant to obey the coach, Tenma was about to volunteer first. But he paused and changed his mind when he caught sight of Kurama’s angry face.</p><p>  “Who should go first, kantoku?” He asked the coach instead.</p><p>  “Why not Kurama?” Endou inclined his head at said forward, having guessed Tenma’s intentions.</p><p>  “Fine.” Kurama spat. He kicked the ball at the goal with all his might to be over with it. But he was not expecting Endou’s praise.</p><p>  “Nice shot. Just what I’d expect from Raimon’s forward.”</p><p>   Kurama turned away with his seemingly perpetual angry expression. This coach was driving him mad! He was supposed to be from the Fifth Sector yet was acting differently from what they’d expect!</p><p>  “Next is Hamano.” Endou called out. One by one after that, each player shot a ball into the goal. And Endou always praised them when they did. Last was Tenma and he eyed the ball nervously. To this day, his aim was not the best since Abel was more focused on training him on dribbling and Keshin summoning. So he was not confident he can shoot the ball into the goal.</p><p>  Nevertheless, with an encouraging nod from Endou, Tenma took a deep breath and kicked the ball…which hit the goalpost and bounced over it.</p><p>  “Ops.” Tenma scratched the back of his head sheepishly.</p><p>  Endou gave him a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry about it. That kick power was pretty intense. We can work to improve your aim.”</p><p>  That drew alarmed looks from the senior players. Tenma’s less than perfect aim was what saved them from disobeying the score order. If Tenma did get better, there’s no doubt the next time it happened, Tenma will get Raimon in trouble.</p><p>  Tenma was aware of their looks but mostly ignored them. He hasn’t told anyone but Aoi, but he was determined to play fair and freely, no matter the rules set up by the Fifth Sector. And Shinsuke and Endou will back him up on it, he knew it. Eventually, he’ll find a way to convince them to play real soccer too.</p><p> “Last is Tsurugi!” Endou suddenly said, making everyone gasp and turn to look at the SEED. “You’re the only one left.”</p><p>  Tenma bit his lip to hide his smile. He had a feeling the coach saw what he did and wanted to confirm it by provoking the punk to show his plays.</p><p>  With an angry grunt, Tsurugi slowly made his way down to the field. Endou had moved to stand in front of it in his familiar goalkeeper position. Tensions were high as no one dared to breath. Tsurugi and Endou were locked in a stare down…until Tsurugi made the first move with his hissatsu shoot.</p><p>  “Death Sword!”</p><p>  Everyone watched with baited breath for Endou to catch it or use a hissatsu to stop it. Only he didn’t. Instead, he closed his eyes and tilted his body to the side to allow it straight into the goal.</p><p>  “What!?” Tsurugi hissed in shock. Everyone else was gaping at the coach, perplex with his actions. It only got worse when Endou actually praised him for nearly shooting at his face!</p><p>  “That was an amazing shoot! You’re good.”</p><p>   “Tch. What a joke” Tsurugi growled and stormed away. Tenma could not help but coughed to hide his laugh. Everyone now looked at him with weird looks.</p><p>  “Endou-kantoku, you’re interesting.” Tenma merely grinned at the coach.</p><p>  “Glad to hear that.” Endou grinned back. The poor Raimon players had no idea what to make of this. “That’s all for today’s practice.”</p><p>  “Just one shot?” Hamano asked, his confusion mirrored with the other players.</p><p>   “So what is it we weren’t able to see from the school grounds?” Kurama scowled.</p><p>  “You all came here to train for winning, right? Then you’ve seen it.” Endou gave a wink at Tenma and Shinsuke. “The faces of your friends with their goals set for victory. The faces of people who want to play real soccer.”</p><p>  Tenma had a secret smile at his coach’s words despite the senior’s uneasy looks. “I see.” He now understood why Abel respected the goalkeeper so much. He certainly lived up to his reputation of his love for soccer.</p><p>  “Hm, what was that?” Shinsuke looked at his friend but he shook his head.</p><p>  “Nothing.” Tenma shook his head.</p><p>  “I’ll be waiting for you at the school grounds tomorrow.” With that they were dismissed. Tenma quickly grabbed his bag as he waved at Shinsuke and the managers.</p><p>  “I’m going to go back first.”</p><p>  “I’ll go with him and make sure he gets back safely.” Aoi quickly offered and ran after her friend, leaving everyone to stare at them.</p><p>  “What’s got them in a hurry?” Midori frowned in confusion. Everyone shrugged as they didn’t have answers.</p><hr/><p>  After putting a distance between himself and the riverbank, Tsurugi whipped out his phone to call his handler. He needed answers and he needed them yesterday!</p><p>  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”</p><p>  Tsurugi jumped at Tenma’s approach. His eyebrow twitched as the brunet came closer and placed a hand over the forward’s phone to snap it close. “What do you want!?” He hissed.</p><p>  “You will regret it if you tried to get Endou-kantoku fired.” Tenma’s lips turned up slowly into a smirk.</p><p>  “You can do nothing to the Fifth Sector. Your warnings mean nothing to me.” Tsurugi narrowed his eyes at him.</p><p>  “If that is the case, then go ahead and make the call.” Tenma removed his hand from the phone. “But, I don’t think you will.”</p><p>  “Why is that?”</p><p>  “You’ll destroy more of yourself.” Tenma narrowed his eyes at Tsurugi. It was not his steel glare but it was edging into it. “You love soccer more than anyone else. Your shoot just confirmed it.”</p><p>  “What?!”</p><p>  “No one can make that kind of shoot or have your skills if they didn’t have the slightest bit of passion for soccer. No matter how much you say you hate soccer, your plays betray you.”</p><p>  Tsurugi took a step back, pain written over his face. “That’s not…!”</p><p>  Tenma sighed as he also backed up. “Think about it, Tsurugi. If you remove another coach who loves soccer, will you be able to forgive yourself when you get what you want from the Fifth Sector?”</p><p>  Tenma turned to leave. But he paused and tilted his head back at Tsurugi with a smirk. “By the way, do tell Kuroki-san I said hi and that he can find the men he sent to kidnap me at the nearest police station.”</p><p>  “What-!?” Tsurugi tried to grab Tenma’s shoulder but missed when Tenma ducked away.</p><p>  “I have a guardian angel now. So it’s pointless for him to try again. In fact, she has the evidence she needs from this attempt to implicate him.” Tenma gave him a wink and walked away, leaving a now scared Tsurugi behind.</p><p>  ‘Just who in the world is Matsukaze Tenma?’ Tsurugi shruddered.</p><hr/><p>  “Are you alright?” Aoi asked him when she saw him approaching her hiding spot where she watched his interaction with Tsurugi from a distance.</p><p>  “I’m good.” Tenma sighed tiredly. “It’s a good thing Dahlia came in this morning. Otherwise, the Fifth Sector might have succeeded this afternoon. Although,” Tenma gave her a wry smile. “Aki-nee was not happy that they trampled her garden.”</p><p>  Aoi stifled a giggle at that. She tilted her head at a woman following them inconspicuously a distance away. “With Dahlia-san around, I feel a lot safer.”</p><p>  They walked in comfortable silence until Aoi asked him a question, “What are you going to do with the Fifth Sector now?”</p><p>  Tenma paused in his step and drew in a breath. “I’m not going to obey them, that’s for sure.” He gave her a serious glance. “I now know where I heard the name Fifth Sector before. The person who hurt mama that night said it.”</p><p>  “Tenma.” Aoi looked at him startled. It then morphed into worry. “You can’t possibly be thinking…”</p><p>  “The person who hurt mama has to be part of the Fifth Sector. And I can find him by fighting against the Fifth Sector.”</p><p>  “Don’t!” Aoi grabbed his arm. “Tenma, he attacked your mother. It’s too dangerous for you to chase him. You were lucky to have been hidden in the closet that night.”</p><p>  “I know.” Tenma hissed, clenching his fist tightly. “But what he and the Fifth Sector is doing is unforgivable. Forget fighting the Fifth Sector to find him, I need to find a way to bring down that organization so that we can play real soccer freely!”</p><p>  Aoi released his arm with a pained frown. “But Tenma…”</p><p>  Seeing this, Tenma gave her a reassuring smile. “I promise that I will not confront him if I find him. And I will not drag the members of the soccer club into it. This is something that I will handle myself. If they don’t want to go against the Fifth Sector, I won’t pressure them to. But I also won’t turn my back on my soccer.”</p><p>  Aoi bit her lip but nodded. The look on Tenma’s face told her that it was impossible to change his mind and he did promise not to drag anyone else into it. But she was still worried. Glancing back at Dahlia, she decided to give Abel a call and see if he can talk Tenma out of it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Captain Don't Quit</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  Back in Wythras, it was late at night and everyone was preparing to retire for the night…Except for the prince.</p><p>  “Why me? Why Arion?” Abel bemoaned as he paced around the room. His friends only exchanged wry looks as they watch the prince lament his younger brother’s luck. The group consisted of some of his teammates from his days in the junior league and national league.</p><p>  “You can’t deny that he has the royal luck of getting into trouble, just like you.” Joshua, his bodyguard and teammate on the national league pointed out mildly. And boy was he right. Being the bodyguard of the prince meant he had his fair share of getting Abel out of trouble from his shenanigans.</p><p>  “Is that supposed to reassure me?” Abel seethed as he yanked on his hair. “If we didn’t hack into the Fifth Sector’s database and found out about what happened during the Eito match, I could not have gotten Dahlia to Japan in time to prevent a kidnapping attempt!”</p><p>  “Calm down, your highness.” The person in front of a laptop told him calmly. “Prince Arion is safe now with Endou Mamoru as the coach and Dahlia in Japan. I forwarded some information I gathered from the Fifth Sector’s computers to Dahlia as leverage in case they try to do something again.”</p><p>  Instead of being relieved, Abel soured his face. “Nosaka, be honest with me. Do you really think that it will be enough to stop Arion from attracting trouble?”</p><p>  “Not the slightest.” The pink haired tactician shrugged nonchalantly, making everyone else sweatdrop. “But,” Nosaka narrowed his eyes at the prince, “you cannot do anything to stop the Fifth Sector on an official level. You can accidentally cause an international incident for interfering with a power foreign organization.” He warned, as he knew exactly what his friend was thinking of doing.</p><p>  “And with the insurgence on our hands, it’s probably best to steer clear of that.” Joshua winced.</p><p>  “I know. There’s a reason why Mama hasn’t taken any action against <em>him</em> despite all this time.” Abel sighed as he sank into a couch. “What other options do we have?”</p><p>  “Let me check on our mutual allies against the Fifth Sector and see if I can give them some help.” Nosaka volunteered.</p><p>  “Wait, you mean…”</p><p> “Unlike you, I can go to Japan without arising suspicion since I made arrangements with the Fifth Sector to scout their schools for players to join Wythras’ Jr. Soccer League Team months ago. Additionally, I am least involved in political matters so I am not needed here to deal with the insurgents.”</p><p>  Abel gave it some thought and had to admit his friend has some logical points. Reluctantly, he nodded. “Fine, when you go to Japan, find Kidou. I know that he left the Italian National Team to coach Teikoku to bring down the Fifth Sector. Tell him that I am willing to help where I can but my involvement will be minimal because of politics. But don’t tell him about Arion or Dahlia.”</p><p>  “As you wish.” Nosaka inclined his head and turned to his assistant. “Nishikage, please make the arrangements to go to Japan. I will inform the Fifth Sector that I will be paying a visit soon.”</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>  Meanwhile, over in Japan, Tenma was unaware of his brother’s dilemma as he prepared himself for school. Sighing, he remembered what he said to Tsurugi and hoped that the punk took his advice not to get Endou fired. And there was the matter of the captain. Aoi told him that she already talked to the captain and he seemed fine yesterday morning but suddenly decided to call in sick.</p><p>  Yet, while he never came down to the riverbank, Tenma saw him and Kirino watching them from the bridge.  The captain loves soccer a lot and really wants to play freely again, he can tell. And he contemplated if he should try to convince the captain to play real soccer with them. But he promised Aoi that he won’t pressure anyone to joining his fight against the Fifth Sector.</p><p>  “But captain…he looks like he’s in pain.” Tenma sighed as he grabbed his bag and headed out. He decided to wait and see how the captain is and try to talk to him. He really wanted to see the captain’s plays in a normal setting without the fear of the Fifth Sector looming over them.</p><p>  When he arrived at the club room, he found Otonashi, Shinsuke and Aoi watching a past match. From the looks of it, it was Raimon and another school.</p><p>  “Morning.” He chirped as he joined them. “What are you guys watching?”</p><p>  “Ah, Tenma, good morning.” Aoi returned the greeting. “Otonashi-sensei is letting us watch last year’s Holy Road finals.”</p><p>  Tenma hummed as he leaned against the back of the couch to watch. Raimon and their opponent, Kidokawa Seishuu, were good. Both teams were going all out, he can tell. This was not a match that was dictated by the Fifth Sector. His eyes widened slightly when Shindou used God’s Baton and Fortissimo.</p><p>  “Not bad.” He smiled lightly.</p><p>  “You know that it is a serious match when Shindou-kun uses God’s Baton and Fortissimo.” Otonashi commented.</p><p>  “But isn’t the Fifth Sector behind most of the match scores?” Shinsuke frowned.</p><p>  “Not this one.” Otonashi shook her head. “It was one of the very rare moments when the Fifth Sector did not provide a score order. Usually, they control public matches like the ones in the Holy Road strictly while letting a free reign on a handful of practice matches if they deem it insignificant. So, in this case, both Raimon and Kidokawa Seishuu went all out. But we lost.”</p><p>  “I can tell that they enjoyed it though.” Tenma tilted his head at his friends. “It’ll be nice to play this kind of match freely all the time.”</p><p>  “Yeah.” Shinsuke nodded in agreement.</p><p>  “Oh, you guys are early.” Endou remarked when he entered the club room and saw them.</p><p>  “Endou-kantoku.” They greeted the coach who went to the wall and hung the Holy Road poster he brought with him. “Holy Road…”</p><p>  “Back when I was your age, the tournament was called Football Frontier. We also had a poster of the FF in the clubroom to remind us of our goal.” Endou explained, sharing a reminiscing smile with Otonashi. Soon, the other club members came in one by one, save the captain and Kurama. Everyone exchanged greetings and Aoi and Tenma exchanged smiles in relief that almost everyone was still coming after yesterday. Just one practice and Endou managed to change some of their mindset for practice.</p><p>  “Where is Shindou?” Endou frowned slightly when he didn’t see the captain. The seniors looked away, unwilling to admit that Shindou was taking the recent happenings harder than they originally thought. Endou shrugged at their expressions, knowing that the captain will see him eventually. Instead, he clapped his hands to get their attention and slapped the poster.</p><p>  “Everyone! The Holy Road district preliminaries are coming! Let’s start morning practice.”</p><p>  Tenma concealed his smirk at the senior’s confused and wary expressions. Looks like they haven’t guessed Endou’s disregard for the Fifth Sector’s orders. As he got changed, he felt someone approach him. Tilting his head at the person, he raised an eyebrow at the goalkeeper. “Sangoku-senpai.”</p><p>  The goalkeeper gave him a small smile as he checked him head to toe. “Are you sure that you can attend school today? Sorano said that you were sick after the Eito match.”</p><p>  “I’m fine. You saw me at the riverbank yesterday.” Tenma reminded him.</p><p>  “True.” Sangoku shook his head. “But still, do you want to talk about what happened at the Eito match?”</p><p>  “I can’t remember what happened after captain snapped at me. Every time it happens, I black out and when I come to, I’m always sick and people are telling me I lashed out in some way.” Tenma said drily. “Though, Aoi told me that everyone thinks I have a Keshin now.”</p><p>  “You had Keshin aura at that time. And it even caused Shindou’s to lash out too.” Sangoku said quietly as he remembered that moment in the corridor. Tenma was barely conscious to know exactly what happened, but Sangoku remembered the look of sheer panic on Shindou’s face as his Keshin reacted to Tenma’s out of control aura. If Endou didn’t show up then, the captain and first year might be more hurt and in the hands of the Fifth Sector.</p><p>  “It did?” Tenma asked, startled as Aoi didn’t mention that fact. Sangoku winced as he realized this.</p><p>  “Sorano was not around but back at then, Shindou panicked when your Keshin aura lashed out at his. This caused his Keshin to act out as well. If Endou-kantoku didn’t calm both of your Keshin auras, the both of you could have gotten badly hurt.” Sangoku explained, glancing at the coach who was seemingly talking with Otonashi but occasionally giving them glances.</p><p>  “Huh.” Tenma was speechless for a moment then sighed, turning to his senior. “Is the captain alright now?”</p><p>  “More or less. He’s just reeling from the crazy week.” Sangoku sighed. “And…”</p><p>  “He’s thinking of quitting.” Tenma guessed with a wince.</p><p>  “…yes.” Sangoku finally admitted, glancing at Kirino who was staring at Shindou’s locker despondently and he understood the feeling. “He blames himself for getting Kudou-kantoku fired.”</p><p>  Tenma huffed as he shook his head. There were reasons why Kudou was fired but Shindou was not the sole reason behind it. “I see.”</p><p>  Sangoku eyed the teen closely, wondering what he was thinking. But Tenma gave him a slight smile with a polite bow. “Thank you informing me of this. I know what I need to do now.”</p><p>  “You’re welcome?” Sangoku wanted to ask Tenma what is it that he was going to do. But Tenma immediately went to find Shinsuke before he could ask. Shaking his head, he could only hope that it will not drive Shindou further away from the club.</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>  For the rest of the day, Tenma tried to seek out the elusive captain to talk to him. But every time, Shindou either rebuffed him or had someone with him. Realizing it was going to be harder to talk to him at school, Tenma decided to wait until afternoon practice, only to hear that the captain had handed in his resignation letter and went back. Realizing he was running out of time, Tenma had asked to be excused from practice, to most people’s surprise. But Endou merely had a knowing look and gave him permission.</p><p>  With that Tenma made his way to the captain’s house. He had gotten the address from Akane. When the Shindou-fan asked him why he needed it, he gave her a vague explanation of needing to clear up somethings with him which was enough for her. Seems like she also guessed what he was going to do and supported it.</p><p>  He was a little surprise to find that Shindou’s home is a massive mansion. Then again, he should have figured it out from the elegant air Shindou carried which was similar to his father’s. A maid had let him in when he explained that he was part of the soccer club and led him to a music room. Shindou was seated at the piano, playing regardless of Tenma’s entrance and deliberately avoiding him.</p><p>  Tenma was unfazed by Shindou’s avoidance of him and merely stood and listened to the (former?) captain play. Eventually, he stopped playing. Tenma let out a small hum. “I didn’t know you play the piano. You’re really good at it.”</p><p>  “What do you want?” Shindou growled out.</p><p>  Tenma merely hummed again. “I came here to talk to you.”</p><p>  “I have nothing to say to you.” Shindou adverted his eyes.</p><p>  “I know. But I hope that you will listen to what I have to say.” Tenma took in a deep breath before continuing, “I know that you blame yourself for what happened to Kudou-kantoku. But you’re idiotic to think that everything is your fault.”</p><p>  Shindou looked at him sharply in anger but Tenma pushed on. “I know that you are the captain and you love soccer. That’s why you are so tormented right now. But do you think it’s going to be better if you quit?”</p><p>  “What would you know?” Shindou snapped. “You don’t know what it’s like to play this kind of soccer! You who lived a sheltered life away from the reality of the soccer world! We have no choice but to obey the Fifth Sector or they will destroy our club! And yet, it’s not enough!”</p><p>  There was silence from Tenma for a while, and Shindou was about to make him leave when Tenma spoke, “You’re right, I don’t understand. I don’t know what it is like to live in fear of something that can take away the very thing you love in a blink of an eye. But what I do know is that you love soccer, you and everyone in the club. That is why I wanted to come to Raimon. To play soccer with people that love it.”</p><p> Shindou lowered his heads that his eyes were shadowed by his bangs. “Sangoku-san told me that you are from Europe yet you came all the way to Japan to join the Raimon soccer club. Why? You could go to any school there and not worry about the Fifth Sector. Why must you come to Raimon?”</p><p>  “There are many reasons why I had to come to Japan. But take away those reasons and I will still choose Raimon.”</p><p>  “Why?”</p><p>  Tenma merely gave him a knowing smile. “Well, I wanted to meet my savior who started me on soccer. But right now, it’s more than that. I could go to any school in Europe but then I won’t have an amazing captain like you. You care so much for the team and I know that despite your attitude towards me, you really want to shield me and Shinsuke from the Fifth Sector. That is why, I’m not giving up on you. And I don’t want you to give up on soccer too.”</p><p>  Shindou’s eyebrow twitched in annoyance. “Is that what all this is about? To make me withdraw my resignation and return to the club?”</p><p> Tenma let out a long sigh and nodded. “Yes. You know yourself better than anyone. Can you say that you believe it is the right thing to do from the bottom of your heart? To give up on the soccer you love dearly? To give up on yourself?”</p><p>  Shindou had nothing to say to that. He turned away with his eyes squeezed shut. “Leave.”</p><p>  Tenma gave a small sigh. He knew that he was pushing the line but he just had to get the captain to see that there is still hope in real soccer. “Fine.” He gave a small bow even when Shindou had his back to him. “I am sorry for speaking out of line. But I have one final request.”</p><p>  That got Shindou’s attention. Tenma grinned at him. “I want to see Fortissimo.”</p><p>  “What?” Shindou narrowed his eyes.</p><p>  “I really want to see your move and get one last opportunity to play with you. After this, I will leave you alone if you want me to.” Tenma smiled gently at the captain. “Please?”</p><p>  Shindou stared at Tenma uncomprehendingly for a few minutes. He really wanted Tenma to leave him alone. He could not fathom why did he even let Tenma in in the first place. But once again, he was drawn by the earnest look in his eyes. It was the same look from the entrance exam, the one that made him determined to discourage him and Nishizono from joining the soccer club. Perhaps, just this once…</p><p>  “Fine. Just this once.” Shindou finally relented.</p><p>  “Thank you! Can I invite Shinsuke as well?”</p><p>  “Yeah. Go ahead.” Shindou could not deny that the wide smile on Tenma’s face affirmed that he made the right choice. His face softened into a sad smile. “You really love soccer, don’t you?”</p><p>  It was on the tip of Tenma’s tongue to say ‘Just like you’. But he restrained himself and nodded instead, feeling that if he did say that, it would not be well received.</p><p>  It didn’t take long for them to head to the riverbank and meet up with Shinsuke who just got out of practice there. Shinsuke was bubbling with excitement since his friend told him that the captain agreed to show them Fortissimo and play with them for a while.</p><p> Tenma and Shinsuke had the ball first, eager to show the captain just how much they have improved.</p><p>  “Here I come, captain!” Tenma cried as he dribbled up.</p><p>  “I’ll pick up all of Tenma’s passes!” Shinsuke narrowly got the ball from Tenma when Shindou attempted to steal it from the brunet. He quickly passed it back to Tenma. “Here!”</p><p>  Tenma winced when he fumbled when he received the ball due to the awkward angle. But he managed to straighten up and continue dribbling.</p><p>  “Watch the ball closely!” Shindou told them as he took the ball from Tenma effortlessly. He managed to keep the ball while moving around Tenma. “Liking soccer and being good at it are two different things!”</p><p>  He then jumped with the ball between his feet glowing blueish, musical notes formed around the ball. “Fortissimo!”</p><p>  The ball sailed past Tenma and right into the goal. Tenma and Shinsuke’s eyes were wide in awe. But Shindou was clearly done. “Are you satisfied now?”</p><p>  Tenma inwardly sighed, wondering if his plan to make the captain not quit failed. But he remembered his manners and bowed with Shinsuke. “Thank you so much!”</p><p>  He picked up the ball and held it up with a challenging smile at Shindou. “I’ll do my best to get better. So that when we can play real soccer, we can play together again.”</p><p>  Like he expected, his words riled up Shindou. “You don’t get it do you? Real soccer is dead!”</p><p>  Before Shinsuke could comprehend, Shindou had kneed the ball out of Tenma’s hands. But Tenma’s challenging smile grew into a smirk. “Then prove it!”</p><p>  He and Shinsuke chased the captain who came to a stop. Narrowing his eyes at them, Shindou kicked the ball between them towards the goal. But his frustration was clouding his judgement as the ball hit the goalpost instead. Shinsuke quickly jumped up and used a heading to send the ball to his friend.</p><p>  Tenma grinned and ran faster to get the ball. “Real soccer being dead isn’t true! I bet even real soccer is waiting for us to play for real again!”</p><p>  “If you really feel that way, then try and get pass me!” Shindou growled. The two fought over the ball, Tenma attempting to keep it and dribble past Shindou. And Shindou was relentless in chasing Tenma.</p><p>  “Tenma, you can do it!”</p><p>  Spurred by his friend’s encouragement, Tenma twisted around just in the nick of time to stop Shindou from getting the ball. The two continued to fight for the ball with increased ferocity. It ended when Tenma dribbled back and came to a stop a few feet away from Shindou with narrowed eyes. This was going to be the last clash.</p><p>  “I’ll show you, Captain! My resolve to play real soccer!” Tenma then renewed his dribbling. With each step he ran, his determination to get pass the captain grew stronger. “I’ll definitely get pass you!”</p><p>  His speed suddenly increased, surprising everyone including himself. But Tenma did not let that distract him. Instead, he let his instincts guide him as he suddenly went around the captain with a gust of light green wind.</p><p>  “Soyokaze Step!” The accompanying wind sent Shindou sprawling on the ground as Shinsuke watched in amazement at his friend’s new Hissatsu.</p><p>  “Yes!” Tenma pumped his fist in glee. “I got pass the captain!”</p><p>  Shinsuke could not contain his excitement either as he hopped up and down. “All right! That endless practice finally paid off!”</p><p>  “I know.” Tenma was giddy with exhilaration. His first ever hissatsu! Just wait until he told Abel about this!</p><p>  “It was so amazing! It was like you were the wind itself!” Shinsuke said as he ran up to his friend.</p><p>  Tenma exchanged a high five with his friend and grinned at the captain. “Captain, I could not have been able to complete Soyokaze Step without your help. I’ll use this in the Holy Road and charge through my opponents!”</p><p>  “Things are heating up!” Shinsuke cheered.</p><p>  “Now we just need to get you a hissatsu.” Tenma winked at his friend. He then realized that the captain was too silent and glanced at him, only to find him crying.</p><p>  “Compared to your hard work, I…” Shindou looked away, feeling ashamed. “I am not qualified to be the captain after all.”</p><p>  “That’s not…”</p><p>  “You are.”</p><p>  Everyone’s heads shot to Endou who walked down to the field. No one realized that he followed Shinsuke here and had been watching the whole thing the entire time.</p><p>  Endou came to a stop before Shindou and said kindly, “Those tears make you qualified to be the captain.” He held up Shindou’s resignation letter and tore it in half. “Your feelings of loving soccer are so, so reflected through those tears. You truly are God’s Baton. Like a top class conductor drawing out a performer’s potential, you made Tenma’s ability show results.”</p><p>  Shindou clenched his fist tightly. “Kantoku, the truth…the truth is, I really want to win too!” Opening his eyes, he fixed the coach with a fierce look. “I don’t want to play this appalling façade of soccer anymore!”</p><p>  Endou returned it with a grin. “I’ve been waiting to hear those words from you, captain.”</p><p>  Shinsuke and Tenma cheered at the captain’s new resolve, both eager to work harder to catch up to his level. “We’ll work hard to win! That’s for sure!”</p><p>  “Yeah! There’s no such thing as a match that is ok to lose!”</p><p>  “Yes sir!”</p><p>  Shindou watched them with a soft smile, never mind that they were acting goofy now. He now realized that this was what Tenma was aiming for all along. Said first year caught him staring and gave him a wink.</p><p>  “That kid…” Shindou huffed in amusement. He then spoke up. “Matsukaze, you still have a lot that you need to work on if you want to get to the Holy Road’s level of soccer.”</p><p>  Tenma blinked at him then gave him a sheepish smile. “I know. But also, you can call me Tenma. I’m not use to people calling me Matsukaze since I lived overseas for a long time.”</p><p>  “Ah! That’s right. Then you can call me Shinsuke too.” Shinsuke smiled at the captain.</p><p>   Shindou was not expecting that but he regained his composure and nodded. “Alright, Tenma. Starting tomorrow, we’ll work to get you and Shinsuke’s techniques up to our levels.”</p><p>  “Yeah!”</p><p>XXXXXXXXXX</p><p>The next morning, Tenma ran all the way to school, excitement boiling in his blood. Now that the captain wasn’t quitting, he can focus on the Holy Road. As he ran past the school gates, he slowed down when he saw Shindou with Tsurugi walking away, his cape flapping in the air as he headed to the school building.</p><p>  Instantly, his good mood evaporated as he eyed the SEED intently then turned to the captain who looked dismayed.</p><p>  “Captain, good morning.” He greeted the older teen who blinked and looked at him in slight surprise.</p><p>   “Oh, good morning Tenma.” Shindou nodded as they walked to the soccer building together.</p><p>  “You look troubled. Did Tsurugi say something to you just now?” Tenma raised an eyebrow at him.</p><p>  Shindou opened his mouth but then closed it with a shake of his head. “Nothing important. You don’t need to scare Tsurugi on my behalf.”</p><p>  Tenma dramatically gasped and laid a hand over his heart. “Captain, why would you say that? I would never!”</p><p>  Shindou’s lips twitched up in an amused smile. “Oh really? I know that you are more than you seem, Matsukaze Tenma. Even Kudou-kantoku and Endou-kantoku know it.”</p><p>  “I know, I’m unique.” Tenma shrugged good naturedly and winked at the captain. Shindou returned it with a roll of his eyes.</p><p>  “Alright, alright. I get it. But still, can you please try not to infuriate or scare Tsurugi anymore? As much as I dislike the SEED, it’s best not to get on his bad side.”</p><p>  “Alright, I promise that I won’t.” Tenma nodded. He gave the captain a grin. “Captain, let’s do our best in the Holy Road. I’m sure that everyone will come to understand our intentions, even Tsurugi.”</p><p>  Shindou raised an eyebrow at that. “Tsurugi? He’s part of the Fifth Sector. There’s no way he would ever be interested in playing real soccer.”</p><p>  “You’ll be surprised. I can tell that there’s more to him than you think.”</p><p>  “If you say so.” Shindou sighed. “So, since you are from Europe, what made you come all the way to Raimon?”</p><p>  “Well, it all started with a ball…”</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yeah, I’ve included Nosaka and Nishikage from Ares and Orion in here. They won’t be coming up frequently but they will show up again after the Mannouzaka match. After this, my update schedule will be more sporadic as I will start working after this week.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Holy Road Begins</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This took a while partly because I had to move to start my new job and also because this chapter was entirely based on Ep 9. I think from now on I will write the chapters based on the episodes rather on word limit. And it’s a bit messy at the end as I was tired.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> Morning practice could have gone better, but Tenma and Shinsuke continued to work hard despite the seniors’ halfhearted participation. And Shindou seemed to be in deep contemplation of something. Sangoku and Kirino’s relief that Shindou didn’t resign were evident as they spoke with him. Though Sangoku flicked his eyes at Tenma, wondering if he was the one who convinced Shindou not to quit though the game maker didn’t say it outright.</p><p>  That afternoon, they gathered at the clubroom for the briefing on their first opponent for the Holy Road.</p><p>  “Our match up for the first match in the Holy Road has been decided. Raimon is up against Tengawara Jr. High.” Endou announced. Murmurs broke out at that, mostly about how Tengawara relies on dirty plays to win. Tenma’s eyes gleamed a little at the prospect of facing that kind of team though. It would be a good way to test his growing skills.</p><p>  Endou began explaining how they can counter Tengawara’s formation but no one, including Shindou, were actually paying attention until Endou stated that their strategy would not work without Shindou’s judgment. That shook the captain out of his funk as he glanced at a smirking Tsurugi.</p><p>  “Kantoku, weren’t you notified of the order from the Fifth Sector?”</p><p>  That got everyone’s attention as they wondered what was the score order. But as Endou clearly refused to say it, Tsurugi took it upon himself to inform them with some glee. “2-0, Tengawara’s win.”</p><p>  “Hey now, we came in second to the championship last year. Wouldn’t it be strange to suddenly lose in the first round?” Hamano pointed out with a frown.</p><p>  “It’s all because we nearly went against the score order in the Eito match. What else could it be?”</p><p>  “Tenma…” Shinsuke glanced at his friend worriedly but Tenma had his eyes fixed on their coach.</p><p>  “Kantoku, why didn’t you tell us?” Sangoku asked with some trepidation.</p><p>  “Because there was no need to tell you.” Endou simply said, earning surprised looks. “We’re going to win this match.”</p><p>  “Now this is a surprise. Are you going to ignore the Fifth Sector’s orders, kantoku?” Tsurugi asked mockingly but it held a small warning in it.</p><p>  “Who would ever want to lose a match where you intend to lose from the start?” Endou countered.</p><p>   “If you do that, the soccer club will be finished for sure this time.” Sangoku stood up as he protested.</p><p>  “No matter who it is, I won’t let them decide the results before the match.” Was Endou’s response.</p><p>  “Kantoku, do you really think we can win this match?” Tenma asked with a pointed raised of his eyebrow.</p><p>  “You can, as long as you play real soccer.” Endou answered him with a grin.</p><p>  “That is too reckless!” Sangoku snapped angrily at the coach and at Tenma. “I want to win as much as anyone else. But soccer these days isn’t just something for fun. Kantoku, you should understand how it is too. How we’re putting up with this for our future…”</p><p>  “No, I don’t get it. I don’t even want to try.” Endou cut him off with a firm look. “If that kind of soccer is useful for you in the future, then it’s not even soccer anymore.”</p><p>  Sangoku gave a look akin to resignation to the coach. “I can’t agree with you on this. No matter what you say, I’ll follow the Fifth Sector’s orders.”</p><p>  One by one everyone voiced their agreement with the goalkeeper and left the room with no intention to show up for practice.</p><p>  “Tenma, shouldn’t we do something?” Shinsuke tugged on Tenma’s shirt with a concerned frown.</p><p>  “No. They feel guilty enough with their actions already. And I promised Aoi that I won’t pressure anyone to go against the Fifth Sector.” Tenma shook his head. He stood up and went to the captain. “But what about you? You said you want to play real soccer.”</p><p>  That caught Sangoku’s attention as he paused to listen to them.</p><p>  “My desire to win hasn’t changed. But should we allow our personal desires to influence the future of our other teammates?” Shindou clearly shared Tenma’s thoughts on the matter. He then also left the room.</p><p>  “Then we have no choice.” Tenma sighed and turned to Endou. “Shinsuke and I need to improve as much as we can before the match. Can you help us?”</p><p>  “Of course.” Endou nodded at the two boys who wanted to play real soccer with a kind smile.</p><p>  “But we are only two people…”</p><p>  “It’ll work out somehow.” Tenma smiled wryly. “I’m sure that Captain will come around. And so will the others, eventually.”</p><p>  “That’s the spirit. Let’s not waste any more time.” Endou beckoned them to follow him outside to begin practice. Both Tenma and Shinsuke practiced like crazy under Endou’s tutorage, never mind that they were getting dirty, scraped and bruised. Midori was grumbling about the other players’ cowardliness until Otonashi decided to change the subject.</p><p>  “By the way, I heard that there is a new English teacher for the second years.”</p><p>  “You mean the clumsy teacher?” Midori raised an eyebrow.</p><p>  “Don’t be mean.” Akane pouted at her. “Dana-sensei is trying.”</p><p>  “Dana-sensei?” Aoi slowly cocked her head at the older girl.</p><p>  “Dana Korye-sensei. She started teaching us today.” The brown-haired girl explained.</p><p>  “But she banged her head against the corner of the table when she was introducing herself and knocked over her papers while teaching.” Midori pointed out with an amused smile.</p><p>  “What does she look like?” Aoi asked, wondering if ‘Dana-sensei’ is who she thinks it is.</p><p>  “Here. I got a photo of her.” Midori showed Aoi a picture of the teacher. Though the teacher had long black hair and thick glasses, Aoi could still recognize her as Dahlia. She sweatdropped at the thought of the bodyguard as a clumsy teacher. Though it was a little surprising she isn’t teaching the first years.</p><hr/><p>  Later after practice, Tenma sat on the stairs of at the riverbank in contemplation. He was too tired to practice anymore after a grueling day which was a first. He was not worried about the Fifth Sector sneaking up on him as he knew that Dahlia was watching him from a distance. Hearing from Aoi about Dahlia’s current cover in the school made him laugh a little. The careful, diligent Dahlia as a clumsy teacher was more hilarious than he thought.</p><p>  He sighed as the events of the clubroom replayed in his mind. Despite what he said to Shinsuke, he was also a little worried about playing the match against Tengawara with only both of them to win. He really could use Abel’s advice and encouragement right about now, but his brother has been in a communication blackout for days now.</p><p>  “What are you doing out here?”</p><p>  Tenma lifted his head and blinked, “Sangoku-senpai.” He got up and bowed slightly at the senior. “I’m sorry about what happened in the clubroom.”</p><p>  The senior got off his bike and adverted his gaze, not wanting to look at Tenma in the eye, “Don’t worry about it. I overstepped things too.”</p><p>  “Running errands?” Tenma asked as his eyes flicked to the items in the basket.</p><p>  “I’m in charge of dinner today.” The keeper explained.</p><p>  “In charge of dinner?” Tenma blinked. “You cook, senpai?”</p><p>  “Yep. But only on days my mother gets off late from work.”</p><p>  “Heh. That’s impressive.” Of course, Tenma can do basic culinary dishes as a prince, but always faces mishaps when doing more complicated ones. The same goes for Abel and his father apparently. His mother would always sigh fondly when any of them tries to cook and tell them to let her or the palace cooks do it.</p><p>  Tenma blinked back tears at the thought of his mother and her cooking. Sangoku however noticed this and his sorry state from practice. Suddenly feeling kind, Sangoku decided to extend an invitation to the younger teen for dinner.</p><p>  “Really?” Tenma blinked at the senior. “Are you sure that it’s alright?”</p><p>  “Yes, I’m sure.” Sangoku rolled his eyes good naturedly. “I’m inviting you, aren’t I?”</p><p>  “Thank you, Sangoku-senpai.” He briefly took out his phone to text Aki and Dahlia that he won’t be going back for dinner and followed his senior to his modest apartment. The goalkeeper got started on dinner with Tenma keeping a steady stream of chatter. Soon, the food was done and they started eating.</p><p>  “It’s good.” Tenma complimented the senior. “It reminds me of my mother’s cooking.”</p><p>  “How are you finding Raimon and Japan? It must be a huge change from Europe.” The goalkeeper lightly commented.</p><p>  “It’s not too bad. I got Aoi and Shinsuke. And Aki-nee’s been taking care of me. So I’ve been doing well.” Tenma shrugged.</p><p>  “Aki-nee?” Sangoku looked at the teen curiously.</p><p>  “She’s a relative of mine who’s been renting out a room at her manor to me. But she also watches out for me and acts as my legal guardian. And she’s the best cook other than my mother.”</p><p>  Sangoku frowned at that. “Your mother didn’t come with you?”</p><p>  Tenma’s face darkened for a second before shaking his head. “She couldn’t come over. Neither could my step-father or step-brother. So I’m living on my own for the while.”</p><p>  “That must be tough.” Sangoku carefully commented.</p><p>  “It’s fine. I understand why they couldn’t come. But on the bright side, I’m learning to be independent like you.”</p><p>  “Sure, sure. Flatter me some more. I’ll get you pudding for dessert.”</p><p>  “Thank you so much.” Tenma inclined his head with a bright smile. Pudding was his favorite, especially the ones made by Abel.</p><p>  There was the sound of the door unlocking and someone announcing, “I’m home.”</p><p>  Tenma and Sangoku glanced at the person whom Tenma assumes is Sangoku’s mother. The goalkeeper quickly prepared a spot for her at the table. “Welcome back. You’re home early.”</p><p>  “The meeting ended early.” His mother commented. Upon noticing Tenma, she gave him a warm smile that was not dissimilar to the goalkeeper’s. “Oh, a friend? That doesn’t happen often.”</p><p>  Tenma stood up to introduce himself. “Hello, I’m one of his juniors from the soccer club, Matsukaze Tenma.”</p><p>  “Tenma-kun, so you’re from the soccer club? Coming back from practice?”</p><p>   “Yes.”</p><p>  “You guys are aiming for the championship this year too, right? For the Holy Road.”</p><p>    Tenma was unsure of how to answer that. It was obvious that Sangoku never told his mother about the Fifth Sector and from the look of his face, would like to keep it that way. “Well, um…”</p><p>  “Come eat while it’s hot.” Sangoku thankful spoke up, thus the subject was dropped. His mother took a seat beside him while giving him dry looks.</p><p>  “My son doesn’t like to talk about soccer. Maybe because he’s reached that difficult stage at his age? With no father around, there’s a lot he won’t talk to me about. It has me in a pickle.” She said casually to Tenma who was listening awkwardly and sympathizing his senior for having his mother talk about these things to a stranger. Though Sangoku was clearly used to this as he continued eating throughout his mother’s speech.</p><p>  “Tenma-kun, are you like that to your family too?” His mother suddenly asked him.</p><p>  That honestly caught him off guard as he leaned back a little from surprise. “Well…I’m usually amiable with them? Though my brother is the one I’m closest to, despite our false start.” Tenma sweatdropped as he recalled the first time he and Abel were introduced to each other. It was not very smooth as there was a lot of biting, hair pulling and fighting involved. It was a miracle they were as close as they were now.</p><p>  “Hm, perhaps Taichi-kun’s attitude comes from being an only child.” Sangoku’s mother said thoughtfully.</p><p>  “I’m going to get dessert!” Sangoku said loudly to get away from the oncoming conversation. The subject was once again dropped over pudding.</p><p>  “That was so good. Thank you for inviting me over, Sangoku-senpai.” Tenma inclined his head politely at the senior.</p><p>  “My, my, you are so polite, just like my son.” Sangoku’s mother commented, making Tenma blush lightly. “So what position do you play in?”</p><p>  “I’m a midfielder.”</p><p>  “Oh. Does this mean…you make shoots?”</p><p>  “No, my aim is one of my worse aspects now.” Tenma shook his head sheepishly. “But my main strength is in dribbling.”</p><p>  “That seems to be all you are good at right now.” Sangoku pointed out mildly.</p><p>  “Right.” Tenma rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.</p><p>  “Matsukaze, make sure to work on your passes as well.” Sangoku advised him. “Dribbling and passing, those are the basics of soccer. If you improve your passes along with your dribbling, you’ll have plenty to offer to the team.”</p><p>  “I understand.” Tenma nodded with the resolve to work on that the first opportunity he has. “I’ll practice hard!”</p><p>  “I’ll be sure to make an extra lunch box and cheer for you both at the Holy Road.”</p><p>  Sangoku’s face soured at that and he refused to look at his mother as he said, “You don’t have to come.”</p><p>  Sangoku’s mother glanced between her son and Tenma and smiled sadly. “He’s been like this since he started Jr. High. He never lets me come watch his matches anymore.”</p><p>  Tenma kept quiet as he guessed Sangoku’s reasons for not wanting to disappoint his mother with his obviously fake plays.</p><p>  “Oh, I’ll go pour more tea.” Sangoku’s mother moved to the kitchen, leaving both boys to talk in peace.</p><p>  “Sorry, Matsukaze.” Sangoku said softly once his mother was out of earshot. “You guys just want to play soccer for what it really is, but…”</p><p>    “I understand.” Tenma sighed. “But don’t you feel the same too?”</p><p>  “I can’t be like you. At least you have the fall back of going back to Europe if things get bad here…”</p><p>  “Excuse me!?” Tenma unexpectedly snapped at him, his face contorting angrily. He jabbed at thumb at the startled senior. “I am not a coward who would leave Raimon’s soccer club when things get difficult.” He hissed and gathered up his bag. “Please excuse me, I’m going home now. Thank you for your hospitality.”</p><p>  Without waiting for Sangoku, he went to the kitchen to bid Sangoku’s mother goodbye and left. The goalkeeper groaned and buried his head in his hands when he realized he messed up…again. His mother came back with a worried look directed at him, contemplating on asking him what happened with him and Tenma. But in the end, she didn’t push the matter, hoping that her son can make things right with his friend soon.</p><hr/><p>  However angry Tenma felt towards the goalkeeper at the moment, he still took his senior’s advice to heart. He soon got back to Aki’s manor and changed to head to the riverbank to practice his passes with cans lined up.</p><p>  “Dribble, dribble, pass!” Tenma kicked the ball at the blue can but it missed it by a few inches. So far, his aim and control has been getting better, but it definitely could be better. He cannot afford to make mistakes if he and Shinsuke are going to be the only ones playing seriously. Shindou might join them when he sees them playing to win, but Tenma was cautiously optimistic about that.</p><p>  “One more time.” He huffed as he picked up the stray ball.</p><p>  “Tenma!”</p><p>  “Shinsuke.” Tenma grinned at his friend as he ran down, dressed in his training suit as well.</p><p>    “I knew you’d be here! I couldn’t stay still at home.”</p><p>  Tenma’s grin grew as he nodded in excitement. “Same here. We’re going to play in the Holy Road tomorrow.”</p><p>  “It’s always been my dream to play in it.” Shinsuke said dreamily. “I can’t believe we get to play as first years.”</p><p>  “I know.” Tenma looked down on the ball in his hands and gave his friend a determined smile as he dropped the ball. “We have to do our best. Let’s show them that just because we’re first years, we can be just as good…no! We can be better than them!”</p><p>  Shinsuke was a little overwhelmed with Tenma’s declaration. But he too got swept up in his enthusiasm and pumped his fist excitedly. “Yeah! We’ll show them!”</p><p>  “But first,” Tenma became serious, Shinsuke mimicking his expression. “We need to get better. Sangoku-senpai said that we need to work on our passes. So we’ll do that right now! We won’t lose, no matter what the Fifth Sector and the other senpais want.”</p><p>  “We’re really going against them.” Shinsuke whispered in realization. “The senpais, I mean.”</p><p>  “It was inevitable since the start.” Tenma hummed as he kicked the ball to Shinsuke. “We are different from them. We don’t want to back down even with the Fifth Sector looming over our heads.”</p><p>  “Do you think that we would become like them if Endou-kantoku didn’t become our coach?” Shinsuke asked hesitantly. He dribbled the ball for a while around the cans. While not as sharp as Tenma’s dribbling, it was still good.</p><p>  “Who knows?” Tenma shrugged but had a melancholy smile. “If I let myself drown in ‘what-ifs’ I can never surface. I had too many bad experiences in my life. But thinking what could I change in the past won’t change anything in the present. The best I can do is make use of their lessons to be a better person in the future.” When his friend remained silent, he blinked and sweatdropped when he saw his friend staring at him with sparkles. “Shinsuke…?”</p><p>  “That…that was amazing!” Shinsuke’s eyes were filled with sparkles and leaned in closer to his friend. Tenma leaned back with a small wary smile. “Your speech…it was so touching and philosophical! We have to use our past lessons to better our future than let it affect our present! I love it!”</p><p>  “I-I see.” Tenma scratched his cheek sheepishly. “W-Well, let’s continue practicing. We need to better our passes for the Tengawara match.”</p><p>  “Right!”</p><hr/><p> The awaited day came. Raimon gathered at the former Football Frontier stadium for the opening ceremony. But one glance told Tenma and Shinsuke they were not happy at all. All around them, they felt the eyes of the other teams boring holes at them.</p><p>  “Does the coach really intend for us to win?” Kirino wondered out loud. Among the other coaches, something about Endou’s eyes made him stand apart from the other Fifth Sector coaches.</p><p>  “If he does, then something is seriously wrong with him.” Kuramada grunted.</p><p>  “My future, my life…it’s all over.” Hayami lamented.</p><p>  “No matter what the coach says, we’ll do what the Fifth Sector wants us to do.” Minamisawa said determinately.</p><p>  “That’s all there is to it.”</p><p>  Tenma rolled his eyes at his teammates, thankful that he was at the back so they won’t see him. There are times he wondered if he should forget about being polite and subtle, and start yelling at them to stop worrying about the Fifth Sector. But he will remain calm. It won’t do for him to throw a tantrum here. He has more dignity than that.</p><p>  “It’ll work out somehow.” He repeated his mantra under his breath to remain calm.</p><p>  “Stop that!” Tsurugi hissed behind him.</p><p>  “I need to remain calm or I’ll start screaming.” Tenma hissed back.</p><p>  “You’re really excited for this.” Shinsuke commented.</p><p>  “Yes, but that’s not why I’ll scream.” Tenma rolled his eyes again.</p><p>  “Just shut up!” Tsurugi hissed again.</p><p>  “Fine.” Tenma threw back his head in frustration. He gave Tsurugi an annoyed glare. “Let’s see if your ‘predictions’ of the match going to Tengawara come true.”</p><p>  Whatever Tsurugi could have said went unheard as the crowds started roaring again and the teams moved off the field. Raimon and Tengawara were escorted back to their respective buses and driven to Tengawara’s field for their first official match. The bus ride was filled the typical air of gloom Tenma’s been associating with the team and his sighed, leaning against the window. He was aware of Sangoku’s glances at his direction. He and the goalkeeper didn’t have the chance to talk about what happened during that dinner. And frankly, Tenma was not sure if he wanted to.</p><p>  They soon arrived at Tengawara and the players lined up facing each other on the field for the customary greetings. Tengawara’s players were full with smirks and arrogance towards the Raimon players who could only endure it.</p><p>  “It’s too bad you have to lose in your first game.” A spikey purple haired boy mocked them. This made the Raimon players narrow their eyes.</p><p>“C’mon now. Don’t tease them Andou.” A blond player said but anyone can hear that he was insincere with his words. “We get to win against Raimon after they won second place in last year’s championship. Be happy about it.”</p><p>  “That’s true. Well, Raimon folks, do a good job at losing so the stands won’t get bored.”</p><p>  “Purple is a loud, brazen color, just like you guys.”</p><p>  Everyone jerked their heads at Tenma who said that with an amiable smile. Tenma’s lips curled up in an unnoticeable smirk. He waved at the ‘Andou’ guy’s hair along with his companion. “I mean, look at them, that purple is loud, not like Amagi-senpai’s.”</p><p>  “Is that supposed to be an insult?” The other purpled hair guy asked with a twitch of his eyebrow.</p><p>  “It could be a compliment, it could be an insult, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Tenma shrugged while rocking on his heels. “But you guys are acting loud and brazen, so it suits you two. But it also means you lack finesse in your conduct.”</p><p>  “Excuse me?!”</p><p>  “You guys are acting like you’ve won when the game hasn’t even been played. But it’s too bad, things might turn out differently. After all, I don’t have plans to lose today.” Tenma said while narrowing his eyes sharply, edging into his steel glare. This made the Tengawara players take a step back.</p><p>   “The Fifth Sector will get their hands on you.” The other purple haired player hissed. “You won’t try to disrupt the score order again!”</p><p>  “Why does everyone think that I lost control on purpose?” Tenma rolled his eyes as the Tengawara players moved to take their places, save for their captain.</p><p>  “Technically, you did.” Shindou finally spoke up while giving him a glare. “And why on Earth would you want to provoke them?”</p><p>  Tenma sighed, tilting his head back. “I don’t have the energy to be socially pleasant today. Don’t be surprise if I decide to be less subtle and polite.”</p><p>  Shindou could only sigh and offer Tengawara’s captain a slight bow. “I apologize for my junior’s attitude.”</p><p>  “It’s fine. I’m also sorry for my teammates’ rudeness. It’s really unfortunate, I really wanted to play a real game with you guys.” The captain gave Shindou a small wave and went to join his team. Shindou stared after him with a contemplative look.</p><hr/><p>  The match started with Tengawara’s kick off. Tenma went to mark the player the announcer called Hayabusa. But Hayabusa was more skilled than Tenma as he managed to keep a hold on the ball despite all the times Tenma tried to steal it.</p><p>  “You think you can go against the Fifth Sector? They have your power in their grasp sooner or later!”</p><p>  “How about never?” Tenma attempted a sliding to take the ball but Hayabusa easily passed the ball to the captain. Tenma however was undeterred and gave the other player a sharp look. “Their last two attempts didn’t go so well. And I have a guardian angel now. What makes them think I will go with them quietly?”</p><p>  “They’re more powerful than you think, Wythrian brat!”</p><p>  Tenma immediately froze at that and could only stare as Hayabusa ran after his teammates. It was not until Shinsuke yelled at him to run that he snapped out of his shock. Pursing his lips, he decided to focus on the match for now. But he needed answers very soon.  </p><p>  Just like in the Eito match, Raimon was deliberately leaving holes in their defense with only Tenma and Shinsuke attempting to play seriously.</p><p>  The Andou guy soon got pass a reluctant Amagi and was headed for the goal. Tenma pushed himself to run faster and caught Andou off guard long enough to steal the ball. But soon, Hayabusa was running towards him and he narrowed his eyes.</p><p>  He suddenly slowed down to a stop before the Tengawara player and hissed, “How did you know I am from Wythras?!”</p><p>   “Hmp.” Hayabusa smirked. “Don’t underestimate what the Fifth Sector is capable of.”</p><p>  Hayabusa made a dash at Tenma to try to steal the ball. But Tenma narrowed his eyes and kicked the ball towards Kurama. The blond teen then showed up and easily took the ball from Kurama who deliberately fumbled the receive. But Tenma was already making his way towards the Tengawara player, having known that this would happen.</p><p>  But what he didn’t know would happen is the blond guy would purposely trip him with his feet. Tenma resisted the urge to scream out a curse as he fell, knowing that his late tutor would come back from the grave just to yell at him for being an uncivilized beast.</p><p>  “Tenma!” Shindou gasped, having saw what happened.</p><p>   Tenma grimaced as he gripped his injured leg. It was sadly not the worse pain he’s experienced so he slowly pushed himself up unsteadily. But he can feel himself blacking out again and the foreign presence that always invaded his mind when this happened pushed in. He squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to push it back and remain conscious.</p><p>  “Can’t you follow the lead a bit more?” The blond player mocked him. “We don’t want to use up our energy for our first match. Unlike you guys, we have another after this. Hayabusa!”</p><p>    Instead of discouraging him, the degrading words were the push Tenma needed to completely shut out the foreign presence as his determination to win renewed. Unbeknown to him, Shindou was watching him intensely. Something was stirring inside of Shindou as he watched the junior get back up again. And he knew what it was and he was tired to pushing it away. It’s time to embrace the fact that he wants to win.</p><hr/><p>  Tengawara’s captain soon got the ball with a centering. But that didn’t diminish the disappointed scowl on his face. This was not how he wanted to fight Raimon. It would be nice to play against them in a serious match. But real life has other plans. Tengawara will take full advantage of the score order to win.</p><p>  Kita kicked the ball with all his might…only for a yellow blur to run past him and stop the ball right in front of the goal. He gasped as Shindou faced him with a newfound determination.</p><p>   “I won’t let you score. I am not going to obey the Fifth Sector! I’m going for a real win!” He said with fierce resolve when the Tengawara players grumbled at him to let them score now. This caught both Tengawara and Raimon’s players off-guard. But Tenma shared a secret smile with Shinsuke. The captain is finally on their side!</p><p>    “Hey now. No need for jokes in the middle of the match.” The blond Tengawara player joked. But Kita knew there was an underlying uncertainty in his player’s words.</p><p>  With a challenging smirk, Shindou dashed ahead. “I’m serious!” He easily got past a shocked Kita. He continued to dribble up the field with almost no one to stop him, except for Hayabusa.</p><p>  “Have you lost your mind, Shindou? You don’t have a future if you go against the Fifth Sector.” Hayabusa warned him with a predatorial smirk.</p><p>  Shindou however was not deterred. “I will make my own future!”</p><p>  Hayabusa scowled as he chased after Shindou. “Forget your future, this will be the end of Raimon itself!”</p><p>  “If we put our all into it, I’m sure we’ll find a way! That’s what I believe now!”</p><p>  “Baka.” Hayabusa hissed as he tackled Shindou for the ball. So Shindou kicked the ball away towards Kurama, surprisingly.</p><p>  The blond player moved in front of Kurama without any protest from the forward. However, to their shock, the ball landed in front of them, still spinning. And then before they could comprehend, the ball bounced away from them in the opposite direction.</p><p>  Shindou then used his hissastsu tactic God’s Baton to direct Tenma to get the ball. “Tenma!”</p><p>  Tenma followed the yellow aura right to the ball and inwardly fanboyed. God’s Baton was so cool! And he was being guided by it! Ever since watching the Raimon-Kidokawa match from last year, he wanted to see it in action just once!</p><p>  Once he had the ball safely in his possession, he could not decide if he should run or pass the ball to Minamisawa who would surely let Tengawara steal it again. Thankfully, Shindou made that decision for him by directing him to dribble up.</p><p>  “What’s going on with Shindou?” Hamano frowned uncomprehendingly at the captain’s sudden change in behavior.</p><p>  “Captain has made a comeback. As the legendary player, God’s Baton!” Tenma grinned as he followed Shindou’s directions. With his dribbling skills, he easily got past two of Tengawara’s players.</p><p>  “You’re getting on my nerves!” Andou gritted his teeth as he ran up to Tenma.</p><p>  Tenma gave him a cheeky grin. “And you’re still lack finesse!” Deciding to give Soyokaze Step it’s Holy Road debut, he used his hissatsu to get past Andou.</p><p>  Seeing Tenma in action made Shinsuke unable to stand still as well. “Alright! I can’t let you get all the action!” He ran up the field to catch up to his friend.</p><p>  Two defenders ran up to Tenma, making him hesitate. He had a low chance of getting past them with his current skillset, especially with them already in position.</p><p>  “Tenma!” Once again, Shindou used God’s Baton to direct him. This time to kick the ball up in an arch. Tenma’s smile grew as he understood what Shindou was telling him and kicked the ball up, to the surprise of the defense.</p><p>  And Shinsuke neatly plucked the ball out in the air with his mad jumping skills. Too shocked, the defenders failed to stop Tenma from running past them. Following Shindou’s directing again, Shinsuke used a heading to send the ball to a now unmarked Tenma.</p><p>   Tenma winced as he nearly fumbled in receiving the pass. His coordination with Shinsuke has gotten better but it definitely needed more work.</p><p>  “I’ll take you down!” A beefy defender declared as he stood in Tenma’s path.</p><p>  “Tenma!” Shindou called as he ran up to them.</p><p>  Tenma nodded and kicked the ball towards Shindou, but soon realized his mistake when he overbalanced and tripped. As such, the ball dropped out of God’s Baton’s arch and directly in front of a Tengawara player. Both he and Shindou made a dash for the loose ball. But ultimately, Shindou got the ball and narrowly avoided the sliding tackle from the other player.</p><p>  “Thank goodness.” Tenma sighed in relief that his mistake didn’t cost them.</p><p>  “Fortossimo!”</p><p>  Shindou’s hissatsu kick sent the ball flying into the goal as the goalkeeper was unable to react appropriately.</p><p>  Once again, all the players, Tengawara and Raimon, were in shock as the whistle blew. Shindou…Shindou actually did it! He scored against the Fifth Sector’s orders!</p><p>  “Yes! You did it captain!” Tenma cheered as he and Shinsuke approached the captain. “Sorry for messing up that pass just now.”</p><p>  “It’s fine.” Shindou waved it off with a small smile. “What’s important that this goal is the symbol of our determination to win!” With that, he walked back to their side of the field.</p><p>  Tenma and Shinsuke exchanged grins and leapt in joy. “First point!”</p><p>   This first point was indeed their symbol. It was the symbol to the Fifth Sector that the three of them will not back down. They were going to win this match and all the others to win the tournament.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Tengawara</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>  Everyone could not believe their eyes as they stared at the scoreboard. Raimon scored the first goal, a goal that they were not supposed to make. The Raimon players stared at their captain in trepidation.</p><p>"Shindou-kun, what are you doing?" Kita finally asked after getting over the shock. "The score order was Tengawara wins at 2-0. Are you disobeying the Fifth Sector?"</p><p>"Yes." Shindou said with a nod, to Kita's disbelief. Turning to face his team with a resolute glint in his eyes, he made his declaration. "As Raimon's captain, I will say this clearly so that all of you will know. In this match, we...Raimon will win!"</p><p>"What on Earth is he thinking?" Kurama said through gritted teeth.</p><p>"Who knows?" Hamano shrugged.</p><p>"We're doomed!" Hayami wailed as he clutched his head.</p><p>Tenma sweatdropped at Hayami's actions. But he could not worry about it for long, he had other concerns in his mind. Namely the fact that none of the other seniors shared Shindou's feelings and the Fifth Sector somehow finding out he was from Wytrhas. It should not be possible with the precautions taken to ensure the insurgents do not find out where he is. To protect him while he was in Japan, his father created false paper trails to solidify his cover as Matsukaze Tenma and restricted his real personal information available to the public. The only people with access to his restricted personal information was the Prime Minister of Japan, the Wythrian Ambassador and Dahlia.</p><p>"Tenma, get back into position."</p><p>Tenma snapped out his thoughts and quickly adhered to Shindou's command just in time for Tengawara's kick off. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone waving at them and immediately recognized Sangoku's mother. He inwardly smiled drily, wondering how Sangoku is going to react now that his mother came to watch his game.</p><p>A glance at Tengawara's side however made him cautious. Unlike before, they were starting to grow serious. And if the blond guy tripping him was any indication, their dirty plays will make more appearances. And Tenma is worried. He nearly blacked out again and barely managed to retain consciousness. If Tengawara did their rough plays on him or his friends again, he was not confident that he could stay conscious and accidentally hurt someone.</p><p>And the other Raimon players were unwilling to cooperate with Shindou when the whistle blew. They were reluctant to play at all and the situation was not helped when Tengawara indeed started using rough play and dirty tricks to get past Shindou, Hayami and Shinsuke.</p><p>Tenma gripped his head as the feeling came back and he struggled to remain in control. He cannot afford to black out again in an important match as this. He saw Kita get the ball and shoveled back against the entity invading his mind in favor of standing in Kita's path.</p><p>"Move." Kita warned him.</p><p>Tenma cocked at eyebrow at him. "To get the ball from you or away from you?"</p><p>"Tch." Kita gritted his teeth and kicked the ball towards Andou who was standing just behind Tenma. But Tenma suddenly smirked, to Kita's shock. The ball should have gone past him to the Tengawara player. But Tenma unexpectedly spun as he extended his leg in an arch upwards and caught the ball with his foot. To the amazement of his teammates, he managed to balance the ball on his foot while balancing himself on one foot.</p><p>"You should be more specific next time." Tenma flashed an innocent smile at a frustrated Kita and dribbled away towards Shindou. "Captain!" He kicked the ball towards the captain but Hayabusa was quick to intercept it.</p><p>Once again, Tenma bit his lip to stop himself from cursing out. He had more dignity than that!</p><p>"Out of the way!"</p><p>Tenma found himself roughly tackled away as Hayabusa ran towards the goal with Shindou hot on his tail.</p><p>"Move the defense line back!" Shindou called out. But no one dared to move and Shindou gritted his teeth. The team was still reluctant to go against the Fifth Sector. It left him no choice but to confront Hayabusa himself. "Then in that case, I'll stop them by myself if I have to!"</p><p>"What makes you think you can stop my Keshin?" Hayabusa smirked.</p><p>"Oh dear." Tenma whispered as Hayabusa summoned out his Keshin, Birdman Falco.</p><p>"I heard that you can use a Keshin too. Impressive for someone who isn't a SEED. Let me show you how frightening a SEED with a real Keshin can be."</p><p>Tenma easily guessed that Hayabusa was goading Shindou into calling out his Keshin too. But from the looks of it, Shindou didn't know how. Summoning it out during the Black Knights match was a fluke and Shindou barely remembered how he did it.</p><p>Hayabusa went for kill with his Keshin Hissatsu shoot, Falco Wing. Shindou attempted to call out his own Keshin to stop the shoot. But only the blueish aura formed behind him, unable to materialize into his Keshin completely. Thus the ball easily broke past Shindou and towards the goal...And Sangoku moved towards the ball's direction. Tenma blinked in slight surprise at the action but flinched when Sangoku was hit in the gut by the ball entering the goal.</p><p>"Sangoku-senpai..." Tenma glanced at his senior's mother's direction and felt for her. Though not as powerful as Tsurugi's Lancelot, Falco was definitely strong and he still has phantom pains from Lancelot's attack. So Sangoku's mother's worries were justified. Both Hayabusa and Shindou were clearly panting but Shindou was the one that fell over. Kirino hurried to support his friend. Thankfully, Shindou didn't faint this time.</p><p>"You can't even control your own Keshin?" Hayabusa said mockingly. "And you expect to put a fight against the Fifth Sector? You make me laugh."</p><p>"Would you please stop being so impolite?" Tenma finally snapped. "I can hear my late tutor yelling in my mind, screaming what an uncivilized beast you are!"</p><p>"Excuse me!?" Hayabusa whirled at him, fire crackling behind him.</p><p>Tenma however turned up his lips into a smirk as he used his steel glare on the arrogant SEED, causing him to gulp and step back with a cold sweat. Tenma then walked over to him and spoke nonchalantly, "I can show you an uncontrollable Keshin if you want. Eito experienced it first hand and I can't let you miss out on the experience since you are taking so much delight in mocking captain about his inability to control his Keshin. You're definitely <em>dying</em> to see mine in this match."</p><p>Hayabusa was too afraid of Tenma's steel glare to realized that Tenma was in fact bluffing. But he and his team were clearly terrified of Tenma now. Once again, the Fifth Sector had underestimated just how terrifying Arion Tenma Matsukaze-Sherwind can be.</p><p>Tenma: 3, Fifth Sector: 0</p><p>Then the half time whistle blew, and Tenma smiled pleasantly at Hayabusa before making his way back to Raimon's bench. But inwardly, he was screaming at his imprudence in telling off the SEED, in front his team no less. Already, he could feel the stares from his team, Tengawara and the audience. Turning red, he moved faster to the benches and ducked behind an amused Aoi.</p><p>"Really? You just told off the SEED with a Keshin and now you're using me as a shield?" She huffed as she attempted to move away to distribute towels to the approaching players. But Tenma clutched her shoulders to stop her from moving.</p><p>"Just help me this once. I can't believe I lost my composure back there." Tenma hissed. "That and I need to ask you something. Did you tell anyone that I'm from Wythras?"</p><p>Aoi stilled and subtly shook her head. "I was expressly told not to by you, Aki-san and Abel-san. Why? What happened?"</p><p>"I'm not entirely sure myself. The SEED knew. He also implied that the Fifth Sector knew." Upon seeing Shindou approaching him with his arms crossed and not looking happy, Tenma gulped and back away a little. "I'm going to duck away and find Dahlia. Can you fend them off for me?"</p><p>Aoi gave a small exasperated sigh but nodded. "Fine, but you owe me."</p><p>"I'll get you your favorite matcha cake and a tub of Nutella ice cream." Tenma promised before taking off into the tunnels.</p><p>"What-!? Tenma, stop right there!" But Shindou's command didn't reach Tenma as he tuned out the captain. Mentally, he was crying as he composed another apology to the team and captain.</p><hr/><p>"What was that?!" Kurama was unable to contain himself as the team stared where Tenma disappeared to.</p><p>"He had to deal with an emergency phone call from his brother." Aoi gave an excuse which Shindou didn't believe for a second. Instead of chasing the junior, he gave an annoyed huff as he gulped down his water. He can deal with Tenma's actions later. The rest of the team however...</p><p>"Did you see his face? He looked so scary just now." Hamano commented.</p><p>"And he was goading the SEED." Hayami bemoaned. "They're going to be worse in the second half."</p><p>"If they're not too busy being afraid of him." Minamisawa muttered under his breath, making Sangoku give him a weird look.</p><p>Endou was quiet in thought and a glance at Tsurugi made him blink in surprise. The SEED was tensed and slightly pale.</p><p>Interesting.</p><hr/><p>Tenma slowed down once he was deeper inside the corridors. Glancing around, he made his way to Raimon's locker room. The team would be coming inside soon for the coach briefing so he needed to hurry. Stepping inside, he slowly exhaled as he turned to the only other person in the room.</p><p>"Dahlia."</p><p>"Arion. What happened? You don't usually snap like that." Dahlia cocked her head at him. She was in her teacher's disguise but her glasses were off, revealing her sharp blue eyes that eyed Tenma for any signs of injuries. They lingered at the foot Tenma sprained earlier.</p><p>"Sorry, but I was tensed. The SEED knew I'm from Wythras. He implied that the Fifth Sector does too."</p><p>Immediately, Dahlia took in a sharp breath and her eyes narrowed. "How? Abel and His Majesty made sure to cover your tracks."</p><p>"I'm not sure. But can you go to the Embassy and ask around? I don't think the Fifth Sector knows about my true identity or they would have made it public by now. But to be on the safe side, we have to assume the Embassy is compromised."</p><p>"I will." Dahlia nodded curtly. "But do be careful. I saw Kuroki lurking around earlier. There is a chance the Fifth Sector might try again after the match, especially after your little display just now."</p><p>"I will. Don't worry, you, Abel and Joshua trained me to defend myself." Tenma smiled a little.</p><p>Dahlia nodded and made her way out before Raimon came in. Pausing, she turned to him with a serious look. "Don't run off on your own again. Stick close to your coach and teammates."</p><p>Tenma nodded and sank onto the bench when the door closed behind his bodyguard. Dahlia will get to the bottom of this, and he can breath easier now. But then another problem occurred to him. How was he going to explain his outburst to the team?</p><p>The doors then opened and the team filed in. They stopped however when they spotted him. Tenma weakly raised his hands in defensive. "I can explain?"</p><p>"Oh really?" Shindou folded his arms in annoyance. "You goaded a SEED in front of everyone."</p><p>"I didn't goad him, per se. I merely...wanted him to stop being rude so that I won't have to deal with having Old Agatha's voice in my head anymore."</p><p>"...What?"</p><p>"Old Agatha, bless her soul, was prone to screaming at people for being uncivilized beasts if they curse, swear or be plain rude around her. As such, I got used to hearing her voice whenever people are rude around me."</p><p>Everyone could only stare at Tenma in disbelief. And Shindou's eyebrow twitched. "That explains so much about you."</p><p>"I'm not crazy if that's what you're thinking." Tenma protested hotly.</p><p>"We never said you were."</p><p>"I know you're thinking about it." Tenma countered Sangoku's remark.</p><p>"Considering you're dumb enough to go against the Fifth Sector, you are crazy." Kurama snarked.</p><p>"Am I?" Tenma cocked an eyebrow at him, infuriating the senior further.</p><p>"Tenma, stop irritating your seniors." Shindou said while rubbing his forehead tiredly.</p><p>"Why does everyone think I'm doing it on purpose?" Tenma grumbled as he sat down beside Shinsuke who gave him a comforting pat on the arm. Then again, maybe this was why he and Abel don't have a lot of friends. Aoi said that he didn't need to change his personality to have friends, but the way it was going in the club, he might need to reconsider his approach.</p><p>"But still, you guys are insane to go against the Fifth Sector." Kuramada told the rebelling bunch with some reproach in his tone.</p><p>Tenma would have said something to counter that. But from the looks of the seniors' faces, it might not be a good idea, especially after his earlier outburst. Instead, he leaned back a little and shrugged. "I'm sorry you see it that way."</p><p>"You should be afraid of the Fifth Sector."</p><p>Tenma cocked his head at the SEED who was leaning against the wall who was giving the Raimon team a cruel smirk. He only gave him an unimpressed stare. He already scared the punk and his fellow SEED, he was not impressed with the Fifth Sector's threats anymore.</p><p>Tsurugi however continued like Tenma's stare was not unnerving him, "Tengawara's Hayabusa is like me. A SEED." He titled his head to give Shindou a scornful glance, "He can freely control his Keshin, unlike you captain. Now, do you think you can still win?"</p><p>All around the room, the oppressive atmosphere grew heavier as everyone remembered the fear of facing Tsurugi with his Keshin out. The immense power of a Keshin is nothing to scoff at and there was no hope of getting out unscratched if Hayabusa unleashes his Keshin on them.</p><p>"You finally get it. Even if wimps like you chose to cross the Fifth Sector, nothing will change. Nothing can change."</p><p><em>"Stop grating them, punk."</em> Tenma unexpectedly switched to Wythrish with an annoyed roll of his eyes. This got him more stares and he inwardly sighed. Now that Hayabusa has outed the fact that he's from Wythras, there was no point in hiding his mother tongue.</p><p>"What?" Tsurugi twitched an irritated eyebrow at him. "What did you say?"</p><p>"I said, stop grating them." Tenma gave Tsurugi a bland look. "You should carry a recorder around in case I switch back to Wythrish. You might catch something interesting if you can translate what I am saying."</p><p>"Tenma." Shindou sighed tiredly. "Remember what you promised?"</p><p>"That I won't anger or scare him." Tenma gave the captain a small smile. "But I'm not. I'm just giving him a way to figure out what I'm saying if I use Wythrish. Of course, there is no guarantee that I can give the Fifth Sector anything useful." Tenma's smile turned sharp at Tsurugi at the last part.</p><p>"No matter!" Tsurugi growled. "Raimon's defeat has been decided!"</p><p>"That's not for strangers to decide." Endou calmly inserted himself into the debate with a determined, knowing smirk. Pushing himself off the wall, he continued, "Like I said, no matter who it is, I won't let them decide the results before the match."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"The one who gets to decide victory or defeat is the goddess of victory. But the goddess of victory will never smile on those who don't actively seek to win. Are you guys satisfied with the soccer today that is controlled, even its scoring?"</p><p>Endou's words hit hard in some. But they were not going to admit it to the weird coach or before the SEED. Endou then moved to stand before the goalkeeper, "Sangoku."</p><p>The goalkeeper was startled and jerked his head up quickly. "Y-yes sir!"</p><p>Endou merely grinned knowingly at him, "You were told to lose but you still tried to stop that shoot."</p><p>Sangoku adverted his gaze and stammered out, "T-that was..."</p><p>"That was the instincts of a true soccer player." Endou then moved around the players as he addressed them, "No matter what shoot comes at you, you try to block it. No matter who you're up against, you try to dribble past them. You try to make a shoot that's stronger than anyone else's. And you try to win. That's a soccer player. The feelings that all of you have. Do you honestly feel that it's right? To lose without even trying? Ask yourselves these things. Is the soccer you see today the soccer you want to play? What is real soccer? What is <em>your</em> soccer?"</p><p>This was the Endou Mamoru that Abel admired so much. It was no wonder the teams that he captained always had high victory percentages. Even when things look dark, Endou was the guiding light that brought everyone to the goal. Even his opponents get swept up in his passion and enthusiasm that they cannot help but enjoy themselves. And now, he is Raimon's guiding light again. Tenma quirked a smile as nothing can dampen that, not even when the principal and the chairman barged in the locker room and demanded that Endou stopped his style of teaching.</p><p>But Endou straightforward refused and told the players to decide for themselves before heading out to the field with the chairman and principal chasing after him. Tenma inwardly scoffed at the two men. They are not the least subtle in hiding the fact that they are supporting the Fifth Sector in the Holy Road election for their own benefit. Then again, it was always obvious.</p><hr/><p>Soon came the time for the second half to start. Tenma took Dahlia's caution and stayed close to the team. All the while he kept an eye out for Kuroki or any other Fifth Sector agents. Many of the players were still hesitant to disobey the Fifth Sector, even as the kick off started. Minamisawa kicked the ball the Kurama who passed it back to Hamano.</p><p>"Pass it here, please!" Tenma called out to the midfielder as he ran past. Hamano did as ask and Tenma gave him a grateful wave. "Thank you!"</p><p>"Why did you pass to him?" Kurama growled.</p><p>"Well, he asked for it." Hamano rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.</p><p>Up in front, Tenma stifled a crackle at Hamano's response. It made him glad that all his politeness is paying off for this instance at least. When blond guy goes to mark him, Tenma wordlessly passed the ball to Shinsuke who had run up with him. Tenma barely had time to digest that the pass was close to perfect now. All their crazy training was starting to pay off.</p><p>Andou then slid towards Shinsuke and knocked him off his feet with the ball flying towards the sky.</p><p>"Why you...!" Tenma chased after the ball with a burst of speed, fueled by furry at his friend's treatment. He made it to the ball and used a heading to clear it. However it was not fast enough that Kita managed to pick up the ball. Tengawara managed to keep the ball as they made their way across Raimon's side. Kita then made a centering for Hayabusa before the ball.</p><p>However, someone was determined not to let Hayabusa get the ball. And that someone is Sangoku.</p><p>The goalkeeper dashed ahead to grab the ball midair, saving Raimon's goal.</p><p>"What?!"</p><p>"Sangoku-san!"</p><p>"Senpai!"</p><p>Sangoku held up the ball reverently as he eyed each of his fellow rebels. "Shindou, Shinsuke...Tenma. You've opened up my eyes. I'll play my on soccer too! I want to see the goddess of victory smile again after so long." He glanced at his mother, remembering all the times his elementary schoolmates called her the goddess of victory. Without a second to waste, he tossed the ball at the captain.</p><p>"Shindou! Don't hold back! Make a full on attack with God's Baton!" Shindou however hesitated as the last time he did, Tenma could not keep up with it. Sangoku however was prepared for this as he continued to encourage him, "Tenma and Shinsuke should be able to keep up with your pass work now! After all, they have been practicing like crazy!"</p><p>Tenma's eyes widened slightly. Sure, he and Shinsuke have been practicing based on Sangoku's advice but he didn't realize that the goalkeeper had been watching them to see that they had taken his advice to heart. But still, he grinned. It was great that their message reached the goalkeeper.</p><p>Sangoku spread his arms in front of the goal in a protective manner. "I'll protect Raimon's goal! Go! Let's win this match!"</p><p>"Yeah!" The three players determined to win ran back into Tengawara's territory, barely resgistering the other Raimon players' shock that the normally reluctant to stir things up goalkeeper was rebelling against the Fifth Sector. Soon enough, both captains of both teams came face to face in a standoff.</p><p>"You can't change anything, Shindou. Adding one more person to your party makes no difference." Kita warned the other captain.</p><p>"Then I'll show you it can be changed." The determination was back in Shindou's eyes and it made Kita lean back. Just how much can the drive to win push one's limits?</p><p>With excellent technique, Shindou managed to get pass Kita with the ball. Deciding to take the risk again, Shindou used God's Baton to direct Tenma to where he should be to receive the pass. As Shindou noticed, Sangoku was right. Tenma neatly received the pass right at the place Shindou directed him to. Looks like Tenma and Shinsuke were working hard when he was not looking, he thought dryly.</p><p>"That guy!" The blond guy went to mark Tenma again. But this time, instead of passing the ball, Tenma decided to get past him.</p><p>"Soyokaze Step!" His wind based hissatsu once again succeeded as he sent the blond guy flying. Noticing Shindou's gesture to give the ball to him, Tenma passed the ball right to the captain.</p><p>Two of Tengawara's players went to intercept Shindou, but failed to realize that Shindou's eyes were flirting around as he figured the best course of action and handed out the instructions via God's Baton. He kicked the ball to the side but one of the Tengawara knocked it off course to clear it.</p><p>Out of nowhere, Shinsuke leapt up and got the ball. Instantly, the Tengawara players knew they were fooled. Shindou had calculated the best course for Shinsuke to get the ball in a way no one else could.</p><p>Unfortunately, the momentum was ruined when Hayabusa got impatient and ran all the way back to steal the ball again. Everyone tensed as Hayabusa ran into Raimon's side and summoned out his Keshin.</p><p>"Falco Wing!"</p><p>Tenma and Shindou were already back on their side of the field when Hayabusa shot the ball at the goal with his Keshin shoot. But Tenma was closer to the ball. In a reckless move, he threw his body into blocking the shot.</p><p>"I won't let you! We're going to win the match with our soccer!" He was vaguely aware of the gasps from the teams and the audience. And he could feel the same power that helped him block Tsurugi's Death Sword coursing through his body. But it was not enough. Hayabusa's Keshin attacked him and the ball broke past him.</p><p>"Tenma!" Aoi gasped from the benches.</p><p>"I'll stop it with my Keshin!" Once again, Shindou tried to summon out his Keshin. While it was able to materialize this time, it was fuzzy and Shindou was unable to keep it out long enough. Tears formed in Shindou's eyes as he was blown away by Hayabusa's Keshin. "I knew I was not good enough..."</p><p>"No! You've weakened the shoot's power!" Sangoku braced himself to stop the ball with his hissatsu move that he hasn't used in public matches for a very long time. "I'll stop this ball no matter what! Burning Catch!" He spun around in the air with his fist fired up and slammed it down on the ball. Tenma and Shindou had done enough to weaken the shot that Sangoku was able to block it with ease. And the horrified, shock look on Hayabusa's face was so worth every ounce of pain that was coursing through them from the shot.</p><p>"Tenma!" Sangoku tossed the ball to Tenma who was already up thanks to Shinsuke's help. Kita tried to stop him. So for the third time in the match, Tenma used Soyokaze Step to get pass him. He giggled in glee as the winds blew him around Kita. His hissatsu was so much fun to use!</p><p>"Captain!" He passed the ball to Shindou who had recovered from his Keshin attempt and ran ahead. Shindou was prepared to use Fortissimo with this centering. But Sangoku had other ideas.</p><p>"Shindou! I know you can master your Keshin! Have confidence in yourself!"</p><p>Seeing this, Tenma threw in his share of encouragements. "Believe in yourself, captain! You're the one that helped us get this far!"</p><p>"Yeah! You can do it!" Shinsuke was not going to be left out and added his cheers.</p><p>The trust from the three of them was enough to bolster Shindou's confidence that was badly shaken after the match with the Black Knights. Perhaps his Keshin was waiting for him to believe in himself to show up.</p><p>Clutching his shirt where it was above his heart, Shindou pleaded to his Keshin, hoping it can hear him. "I need your help to win! Come out! My Keshin, Instrumentalist Maestro!"</p><p>This time...this time his Keshin fully materialized and held steady. It raised its four hands to receive the ball and powered it up until it became blueish. Then the ball dropped to Shindou's level where he kicked the ball with all his might.</p><p>"Harmonics!"</p><p>Hayabusa, who surprisingly still had his Keshin out, tried to block the shot. However, Falco was no match for Maestro's power. Hayabusa found himself blow away as his Keshin disappeared and the ball sailed right into the goal, giving Raimon their second point. Just in the nick of time too, as three whistles sounded soon after.</p><p>"We did it! We won!" Tenma and Shinsuke cheered as they danced around, not caring if they were making a fool of themselves. They were too happy to care.</p><p>Shindou was still panting but his joy helped him overcome his exhaustion from bringing out his Keshin. "I did it. I brought out my Keshin!"</p><p>"You did it Shindou!" Sangoku slung an arm around the game maker.</p><p>"It's all thanks to you blocking it, Sangoku-san."</p><p>Sangoku scratched his chin sheepishly. "I can't look bad in front of the goddess of victory, after all." He glanced at his mother as he said that, taking in her proud smile that he longed to see again after all this time. "Nor in front of the first-years either." This time he turned to the two juniors who were still celebrating their win.</p><p>"He's a strange guy." Sangoku remarked as he stared at Tenma. "He blew away all the gloom that's been piling in my heart."</p><p>"He's like a zephyr." Shindou commented in agreement.</p><p>"With him, we just might be able to change this corrupted soccer."</p><hr/><p>Everyone got changed and walked out of the stadium in a daze. Tenma, Shinsuke, Sangoku and Shindou from their post victory high; everyone else from disbelief that they won against the Fifth Sector's orders.</p><p>Endou was chuckling to himself as he led the group. He knew the team needed to make their own choices in their own time, but they really blew his expectations. Soon, he knew, the others will come around. They just needed the right push.</p><p>Suddenly, someone was tugging on his jacket and he quirked an eyebrow at Tenma who was trying to get his attention.</p><p>"Sorry, kantoku. But I just remembered that I might have left something in the locker room. I'm going to go back and get it. I'll catch up with you guys as soon as I can."</p><p>Endou hesitated as he promised Aki that he will watch over her relative. And based on what he observed, something the SEED said to him spooked him during the match. So he could guess what Tenma was planning to do and he did not like it. But one look in Tenma's eyes told him that Tenma knew what he was doing, so he reluctantly relented.</p><p>"Make it quick. And <em>be careful</em>." He emphasized the last words. Tenma nodded comprehendingly and took off back in the direction of the locker rooms.</p><p>"Will he be alright?" Haruna asked him worriedly, equally as concerned as he was for Tenma's safety.</p><p>"I hope so. But something tells me that Tenma can take care of himself, especially against the Fifth Sector." Endou shook his head as he remembered how Tenma scared the SEED.</p><p>XXXXXXXXXXX</p><p>"This is unacceptable!"</p><p>Hayabusa managed not to flinch as the agent from the Fifth Sector got into his face with a red angry look and a cane in his hand. He failed to stop Raimon and he will accept his punishment.</p><p>"Really? You're going to beat up children just because they could not do their jobs? I knew there's a reason why I hate you guys."</p><p>"What!?" Hayabusa and the agent jerked their heads to Tenma who was leaning against the wall, hands casually in his pockets.</p><p>"You!"</p><p>"Me." Tenma titled his head at the agent.</p><p>"The Holy Emperor demands your presence." The agent jerked a thumb at him.</p><p>"Tell him he has to work for it." Tenma's posture was still relaxed but his eyes had sharpened minutely as he anticipated the agent's next move.</p><p>"Then I'll just have to take you in by force!" The agent lunged at the brunet. But the teen was nimble as he sidestepped it. Bringing up his leg, he swung his body anti-clockwise and kicked the agent's head with his heel. The force caused the agent to hit the wall so hard he was knocked unconscious.</p><p>With the nuisance out of the way, Tenma turned his attention to a now trembling Hayabusa.</p><p>"Don't worry, I don't intend to harm you if you don't intend to attack me. It goes against my principles to be excessively violent." Tenma stated calmly as he resumed his earlier position.</p><p>Hayabusa gulped and took a step back. "What do you want?"</p><p>Tenma's eyes bored into him as he moved away from the wall and stepped closer to the SEED. "How did the Fifth Sector find out I'm from Wythras?"</p><p></p><div>
  <p>  <b></b></p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Tenma'full name is a combination of his Japenese name and his English dub name.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. The Many Troubles of Protecting Tenma</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This took a long time because of multiple reasons (work, new project, not my favorite episode, emotional scenes that I rushed through, etc.). But I'm finally done with this and we can start on the Mannouzaka. Once again, there is canon divergence here and Tenma's side plot will eventually gain some traction.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Outside Tengawara, Raimon was waiting on the bus for their missing midfielder and some of them were growing annoyed.</p>
<p>"How much longer are we going to wait here?" Minamisawa grumbled while combing his hair with his fingers.</p>
<p>"Until Tenma gets back." Shindou told him with a roll of his eyes. Minamisawa only gave the captain a bitter glare and turned away, not wanting to interact with the captain or Sangoku and Shinsuke. Almost everyone else was doing the same, too angry and shocked that the crew went against the Fifth Sector.</p>
<p>"What were you thinking Shindou?" Kirino hissed at his best friend. "You went against the Fifth Sector and made Raimon win the match! And you mastered your Keshin! They're going to come down harder on you now!"</p>
<p>"Sorry." Shindou winced a little. He never intended to worry his best friend like this. He knew Kirino was harsh on the matter out of concern for him. But in this instance, he cannot give in to his unspoken request. What he felt during the match is something he cannot simply ignore again. And Kirino knows that based on the soured look on his face.</p>
<p>"Shindou, I'm scared that the next time the Fifth Sector comes to Raimon, it will be to take you and Matsukaze away."</p>
<p>And Shindou felt guilty for making his friend feel like that. He too had those fears. Ever since he awakened his Keshin, he knew the Fifth Sector was eyeing him to add into their ranks. It was why they got Kudou removed. And they now want Tenma too.</p>
<p>"Sorry I took so long!"</p>
<p>Speak of the devil, Shindou let out a small breath of relief when the junior climbed up the bus. "What took you so long?"</p>
<p>"I got lost on the way out. Luckily Kita-san was kind enough to escort me out." Tenma waved at said captain outside the bus with an innocent grin. But upon closer look, Kita was sweating nervously…and was that Hayabusa attempting to hide behind the orange haired captain?</p>
<p>Shindou slowly turned to Tenma with a tick on his forehead. "Tenma, what did you do?"</p>
<p>"Nothing to them." Tenma hummed with a small nod at the coach. "I just went to find what I was looking for and I did."</p>
<p>"And…?"</p>
<p>"I may or may not have ran into some Fifth Sector agents who wanted me to come with them. But I declined."</p>
<p>
  <em>'More like I had to use self-defense to fend them off and scared Hayabusa-san further. And that's how Kita-san found us."</em>
</p>
<p>Everyone was staring at him in various degree of disbelief, even Endou and Otonashi. Endou then stood up and nodded at the driver. "Furukabu-san, let's go now."</p>
<p>As soon as the bus pulled out of the parking lot and onto the road, Endou turned to Tenma with a serious look. "What happened just now? The Fifth Sector accosted you?"</p>
<p>"Yes. But I made my point clear that I'm not joining them." Tenma said calmly.</p>
<p>"And they let you go?"</p>
<p>It was Tsurugi who said that and there was incredulity bleeding into his usual condescending tone.</p>
<p>"I made some good points to them." Tenma said with a small knowing smile at Tsurugi. The punk grimaced and kept quiet.</p>
<p>Endou shook his head but inwardly relieved that Tenma was safe. Aki had told him about a little tidbit that Tenma is actually more than capable of taking care of himself, case and point, just now and the kidnapping attempt the day he became Raimon's coach. He nearly had a heart attack when Aki told him about it but she strongly reassured them that the Fifth Sector agents were taken care of by a new tenant across the street who was military apparently. And Tenma was holding his own before the stranger helped them.</p>
<p>Aki said that the new tenant dropped the agents at the nearest police station and all of them were hoping that the Fifth Sector would back off. But clearly with the Tengawara match, they want him more than ever.</p>
<p>Suddenly he felt that his job just gotten ten times harder.</p>
<p>Tenma was prompted to sit down and he blinked when he saw that he was next to Sangoku. "Sangoku-senpai."</p>
<p>"Are you alright? You took a full-on attack from a Keshin just now." Sangoku eyed him worriedly. Tenma shrugged good naturedly and nodded.</p>
<p>"Yes. It didn't hurt too much." But considering the amount of adrenaline coursing through his body from the match and later fighting the Fifth Sectoc agents, he might feel very sore later.</p>
<p>"Glad to hear that." Sangoku then ducked his head and his face became apologetic. "And I want to apologize for what I said that time…"</p>
<p>"It's fine. I've…been stressed recently because of family matters. I am the one who should be apologizing for getting angry." Tenma settled on saying.</p>
<p>Sangoku's apologetic look became sympathetic. "I'm sorry to hear that. Do you want to talk about it?"</p>
<p>"…Not now." Tenma shook his head as he rested his head against the seat as exhaustion crashed on him. Partly because of taking on a Keshin attack and partly from fighting the other entity to maintain consciousness.</p>
<p>"You can rest first. I'll wake you up when we get back to the school."</p>
<p>"Thanks." Tenma caved into his body's needs and soon drifted away. He didn't stir until they returned to Raimon and Aoi offered to escort him back.</p>
<hr/>
<p>"…you just had to get into trouble."</p>
<p>"In my defense…I have none."</p>
<p>Currently Tenma and Dahlia were in the latter's flat. Aki gave him an unimpressed look when he got back and directed him to Dahlia's place. Dahlia groaned as she pushed her hair back. "I leave you for a few hours and not only did you disregard my advice, you tussled with the Fifth Sector and had witnesses."</p>
<p>"Kita-san and Hayabusa-san are too scared to say anything. And I doubt that the Fifth Sector will be trying anything any time soon. They'll be too busy dealing with Raimon's little rebellion." Tenma shrugged.</p>
<p>"Or they will try harder to stop Raimon's rebellion or make you their SEED." Dahlia raised a pointed eyebrow at him.</p>
<p>"True." Tenma acquiesced with a sheepish look.</p>
<p>"And you know that you cannot draw too much attention to yourself lest you alert the insurgents of your whereabouts."</p>
<p>"Also true."</p>
<p>Dahlia sighed and waved it off. "But I guess that's not too important now. I asked around the embassy. The Fifth Sector somehow figured out you are from Wythras and went to the Embassy. But no one outside has access to any Wytherian citizen information as they are still under lockdown after the bombing of Somerset palace. Nothing short of the prime minister and His Majesty's orders can let anyone access their database. And your information data is under the highest level of security. The Ambassador turned them away but we still have no idea how they found out in the first place."</p>
<p>"I asked Hayabusa-san after the match and he didn't have a clue about it. He was only told by Kuroki to mention it during the match."</p>
<p>"Then that could be a very bad thing. Kuroki probably figured out you were hiding but we don't know if he knows the full extend of your identity. He could be holding on to it to blackmail you or wait for the right opportunity to expose it."</p>
<p>"I see." Tenma said with a thoughtful hum. Dahlia cocked an eyebrow as she recognized that look. Tenma was planning something…or to be precise, he was scheming something.</p>
<p>"I have an idea to lure out the leaker. But it'll take the right circumstances to do it."</p>
<p>"Then you might be happy to know, I just got in touch with Abel again."</p>
<p>"He's out of communications blackout?" Tenma looked at her in surprise.</p>
<p>"Yes. He told me that Nosaka and Nishikage are coming to Japan soon to scout for players for the Wythrian Youth team."</p>
<p>Tenma slowly nodded as a thoughtful grin spread on his face. "That will work."</p>
<p>"By the way, he said that you need to call him as soon as you can." Dahlia suddenly became serious. "It's about your mother."</p>
<p>Tenma froze but soon nodded in acknowledgement. "Got it."</p>
<p>"…Do you want to call him now?"</p>
<p>"Not now. I'll call him later tonight. I want to go back and rest for a while before dinner."</p>
<p>Dahlia was understanding as she observed that he was barely able to stay awake. She placed a hand on his shoulder and guided him to the door. "I'll walk you back to Aki's. Do be more careful with the Fifth Sector in the future. I will do what I can to protect you but I also need you to work with me to do that."</p>
<p>"I know." Tenma mumbled out half asleep. Dahlia rolled her eyes in slight exasperation, knowing that her charge would likely forget it and charge into danger once again just to protect his family and friends. He's just as bad as Abel even if they were not related by blood.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The next morning, Aki eyed her relative worriedly when he came down to breakfast with red rimmed eyes and downcast eyes, a stark contrast to his normally upbeat attitude. She knew what was causing his distress as Abel always updated her on Sayuri's condition before Tenma.</p>
<p>"Are you sure that you want to go to school today?" She asked Tenma gently. "You can stay home today if you are not feeling up to it."</p>
<p>"It's fine." Tenma shook his head and sighed. "I would rather distract myself with school."</p>
<p>"If you're sure. But don't hesitate to call me if you want to come back."</p>
<p>"Thanks. But I'll manage." Tenma managed a weak smile. He was soon out of the manor, aware of Aki's prickling gaze on his back. It didn't matter, he couldn't be with his mother now. So might as well try to go through the day like normal. He forced himself to plaster a smile as he ran to school.</p>
<p>"It'll work out somehow." He repeatedly muttered to himself. If he said it long enough, he could bring himself to believe his motto. His mother will get better and wake up soon. The Fifth Sector will stop bothering Raimon. The insurgent situation in Wythras will be taken cared off.</p>
<p>Even when Shinsuke caught up to him, he forced himself to smile and pretend that everything was alright. Even when the seniors despaired over their win and refused to join practice, he pushed himself to focus on getting better for the next match. He went through the same process for the next few days. Aki was getting more worried for him and it was getting harder to maintain his façade.</p>
<p>But everything snapped when Tsurugi made his move.</p>
<p>"Let me play in the next match!"</p>
<p>Everyone stopped practice to stare at Tsurugi after his dramatic entrance and declaration. This cannot bode well for anyone. The Fifth Sector was making their move and everyone had a foreboding feeling that it will not end well for them. But their coach was either oblivious to it or he was too carefree. He grinned and gave Tsurugi the 'OK' to participate in the match. Even Otonashi cannot keep the shock off her face at Endou's easygoing attitude towards the SEED.</p>
<p>Even as everyone panicked over Tsurugi and the coach's actions, Tenma could not muster the energy to remain optimistic.</p>
<p>That was the last straw for Minamisawa. "I quit."</p>
<p>Everyone stilled at the purple haired forward's declaration. Endou remained impassive though. "Are you able to quit?"</p>
<p>"Yes." With a short bow, Minamisawa left. Everyone stared at his departing figure despondently but one person was glaring at Tenma with intense fury.</p>
<p>"The one destroying Raimon's soccer club isn't the Fifth Sector or Tsurugi…it's you!" Kurama's glared became more furious at Tenma. "If you didn't come to the soccer club…no, if you didn't come to Japan, all of this would not have happened! Go back to wherever it is you came from and never return!"</p>
<p>"Kurama!" More than one person snapped at the remaining forward, not just Sangoku and Shindou but the other seniors like Hamano, Kuramada, Kirino and Amagi who were just as taken aback by the sever declaration.</p>
<p>"Tenma…" Shinsuke tried to comfort his friend. But Tenma had lowered his head with his bangs shadowing his eyes. His fists were clenched tightly at his side as his entire body trembled.</p>
<p>In Tenma's mind, the turmoil of his mother's illness and the stress of Wythras' political instability, coupled with the threat of the Fifth Sector, finally came bursting out of the dam he built to contain them. All the emotions he has been repressing since his mother collapsed came gushing out. Once again, the presence crept back into his mind. But this time, it felt different…</p>
<p>"STOP IT!"</p>
<p>Shinsuka barely had time to duck away as an outburst of Keshin energy erupted from Tenma. Shindou gasped as he felt his Keshin stir at the volatile energy and everyone unconsciously took a step back from the brunet.</p>
<p>"Tenma!" Aoi gasped as Otonashi and Endou shot out of their seats. The former was shifting her gaze anxiously between the coach and Tenma while the former was tensed and poised to jump in should Tenma's Keshin lash out again.</p>
<p>But it didn't do that. This time, Tenma remained in control though he was unaware of his Keshin aura swirling erratically around him. His focus was fixed on the now paling Kurama.</p>
<p>"You have no idea what I had to give up to come here!" The hiss that came out of Tenma's mouth was chilly, a stark contrast to his usual bubbly bright tone. With that being said, Tenma turned and stormed off the field. No one dared move until he was out of sight.</p>
<p>"…What the-!"</p>
<p>"Tenma!" Aoi bolted off after her friend despite Otonashi and Midori's attempts to stop her.</p>
<p>"I'll go after them!" Sangoku immediately volunteered and took off before Endou could stop him. Said coach stared after the two students and sighed, rubbing his face tiredly.</p>
<p>"All of you are dismissed for today."</p>
<p>"Wait, coach!" Kuramada gapsed. "You can't expect us to go back without answers! What in the world happened to Mastukaze!?"</p>
<p>"He's right." Shindou spoke up, giving the coach an even glare. "I think I speak for all of us that we need to know what happened to Tenma."</p>
<p>Endou sighed again and glanced at the direction Tenma ran off to. "I've been investigating that for a while, but I don't have any answers that I can…or should give you."</p>
<p>"But you know something." Kirino narrowed his eyes.</p>
<p>"It's not something I want to discuss like this nor is it something I should talk about without Tenma. Go back home and get some rest."</p>
<p>But everyone was refusing to move and for the first time, Endou became very stern with them. He gave them a pointed look that strongly reminded them of their previous coach. "<em>Now.</em>"</p>
<p>Everyone got the message and hurried back to the club building. But no one can deny that they were still feeling scared over what happened with Tenma.</p>
<hr/>
<p>It didn't take Aoi long to track down Tenma. Despite his less than stable state, he was still predictable enough that Aoi soon found him behind the soccer club building which was isolated. There, Tenma was crouched against the wall with his head buried in his hands, his body rocking as soft sobs racked his body. Discreetly, she pulled out her phone and shot a text to Dahlia about their whereabouts and another to Aki, asking her to come over to pick him up.</p>
<p>"Oh Tenma." Aoi slowly approached him and sat down next to him. "Are you alright?" She asked, gently touching his shoulder. Tenma flinched at the touch but relaxed when he realized that it was only his friend.</p>
<p>"Aoi…" Tenma sank into the ground and wiped his face to get rid of the tears streaming down his face.</p>
<p>Aoi frowned at the broken sight of her friend. She didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around him. "Is it your mother?"</p>
<p>Tenma's sob and curling up tighter was the answer she needed. Aoi bit her lip then asked, "How bad is it?"</p>
<p>"They didn't think she would make it for a while."</p>
<p>"Oh, I'm so sorry." Aoi clung on tighter to convey comfort for him. "Was this after the Tengawara match?"</p>
<p>Tenma looked at her in slight surprise through his tears. "How did you…?"</p>
<p>Aoi's smile turned wry. "Try as you might, I know you best. I know that most of the time when you smile brightly and say that you're fine, you're definitely holding back a breakdown."</p>
<p>"Sometimes, I hate how readable I am to you."</p>
<p>"The perks of being your friend since we were nine." Aoi said playfully. And that got Tenma to crack a smile briefly. "Don't bottle up everything next time, acting like you're fine. Talk to me or Aki-san."</p>
<p>"I know." Letting out a shuddered breath, he tried to get up but his knees bucked and Aoi quickly caught him to steady him. The blue haired girl touched his forehead and winced at the temperature.</p>
<p>"You're burning up."</p>
<p>"Probably because I used too much Keshin energy. I didn't realize what I was doing until just now." Tenma mumbled as he leaned back against the building. After he was sure he was not going to collapse on himself again, he straightened up. "I should go back and apologize to them…"</p>
<p>"No, you're not." Aoi planted her hands on her hips with a defiant glare. "I let know Aki-san know to pick you up. She'll be here any minute. And you don't owe them an apology. Kurama-senpai was the one who was out of line."</p>
<p>"But…"</p>
<p>"No 'buts'." Aoi lightly chaffed him. "I'll help you to the parking lot and get your things."</p>
<p>"What would I do without you?"</p>
<p>"Probably not have someone cover for you every time you have to run off."</p>
<hr/>
<p>Tensions in the locker room was high. No one dared to talk about Tenma's outburst. Minamisawa's locker was already emptied out and his uniform folded on the bench. Other than Dana-sensei coming in to drop off some paperwork for Otonashi-sensei, Sangoku, Aoi, Tenma, and the adults didn't come back.</p>
<p>"…Matsukaze is not coming back to the team, isn't he?" Kurama finally broke the silence.</p>
<p>"I have no idea." Shindou said, not wanting to look at the forward.</p>
<p>"He'll be back." Shinsuke tried to stay optimistic. "He loves soccer too much to quit."</p>
<p>There was a slam from Kurama's locker as the agitated forward glared at the short defender. "If he's smart, he'll stay away from the club!"</p>
<p>"Kurama!" Shindou snapped, slamming down his first on the table, making everyone jump. "That's enough! You can be upset with me or Sangoku-san, but you are not allowed to take your anger out on the first years."</p>
<p>Kurama opened his mouth to protest but was cut off when Sangoku stormed into the clubroom. The stormy look on his face belayed anyone from questioning him. The goalkeeper went straight to Kurama with a stern gaze. "When Tenma comes back to school, you are going to apologize to him. No excuses."</p>
<p>"But Sangoku-san…!"</p>
<p>"No." Sangoku's eyes flared, "You went too far yelling at him like that, granted, it was not the sole reason why he snapped. But that does not excuse your words."</p>
<p>"What do you mean, Sangoku-senpai?" Shinsuke blinked.</p>
<p>Sangoku finally released Kurama from his glare and turned away with a tired slouch. "Tenma's mother is dying."</p>
<p>There was dead silence in the room as the words sank into everyone's minds. Slowly, their mouths dropped in agape.</p>
<p>"What? Where did you hear about this?" Shindou was the first to react.</p>
<p>"I heard Tenma and Aoi talking about it just now. Tenma said that his mother nearly didn't make it. And this has been festering in his mind since the Tengawara match." Sangoku looked slightly uncomfortable at the fact that he accidentally found out about this through eavesdropping.</p>
<p>"But he didn't say anything about it." Shinsuke frowned.</p>
<p>"And he seemed like his usual self." Hamano pointed out with an uneasy grin.</p>
<p>"That's because Tenma's good at pushing his feelings aside until his emotional dam breaks."</p>
<p>Everyone jerked to the entrance where a fuming Aoi stood, glares directed at Sangoku and Kurama.</p>
<p>"Aoi…"</p>
<p>"And he does not appreciate his personal information being spread around." Aoi did not waste any time in storming to Tenma's locker and grabbing his bag and uniform. "Captain, Tenma is not feeling well. I called his guardian to pick him up and he might not be coming to school tomorrow."</p>
<p>"Is he alright?" Shindou immediately shared concerned looks with Sangoku.</p>
<p>"Just give him some time to get his mind straight. He said he'll apologize when he comes back. But I don't think he owes anyone an apology this time." Aoi's glare darkened as she glared at the players, save for Shindou and Shinsuke. Hamano and Hayami gulped as they took a step back while Midori and Akane looked on in fascination. Everyone else was shifting uncomfortably. This was a side they never knew about this side of the normally sweet and placid manager.</p>
<p>"And if I find out that anyone of you are talking about it behind his back again or spread it around the school, I'll give you a taste of my Super Sour Lemonade." Aoi finished her threat and stormed out of the clubroom, Tenma's things in tow.</p>
<p>"Man, she's savage." Midori whistled in awe.</p>
<p>"She won't actually force us to drink that, would she?" Hamano asked uneasily.</p>
<p>Shinsuke shrugged, gathering up his things. "I don't know. But from what I know about Aoi, she can be scarily determined when she sets her mind on something."</p>
<p>Almost simultaneously, everyone decided not to get on the blue haired manager's bad side.</p>
<hr/>
<p>That night, Aki went to check on Tenma after he skipped dinner. Endou had told her what happened when she went to pick him up and offered to accompany them back in case Tenma's Keshin acted up again. But Aki was fairly confident she can handle it. Based on past experience, she realized the pattern of Tenma, or rather his Keshin, acting up. Tenma's Keshin will appear whenever Tenma or people around him are threatened by something.</p>
<p>As long as it doesn't perceive her as a threat, it won't hurt her, that she was certain.</p>
<p>When she said as much to Endou, he gained a thoughtful look and promised to get back to her on Rococo's findings about Tenma's Keshin.</p>
<p>"Tenma?" She lightly knocked on the door. When there was no answer, she entered the room and found her relative lying on his side facing the wall on his bed. Huffing slightly, she approached him and sat down on the bed. "How are you feeling?"</p>
<p>I've been better." Tenma croaked out. That was an understatement considering his red rimmed eyes and blotchy face. Aki lightly ran her hand over his hair while checking his temperature.</p>
<p>"You're still a little warm. Stay home tomorrow. You clearly need the day off."</p>
<p>"I…"</p>
<p>"Tenma, you need the time away from everyone. I can tell it's been exhausting to pretend that nothing's wrong with your life. Give yourself a break and maybe we can make cookies together. And Abel promised to call again tomorrow about the updates on Sayuri-obasa."</p>
<p>Tenma thought about it for a moment then nodded. "Alright. I'll let Aoi know I'm not going to school tomorrow."</p>
<p>"She knows." Aki hummed. "She's known you long enough."</p>
<p>"I need to make a cake for her." Tenma managed a smile.</p>
<p>"That you do, young man." Aki stood up and gave him a longsuffering look. "And when you are in a better frame of mind, we are going to talk about better coping methods rather than bottling up everything until you snap again."</p>
<p>"…Alright."</p>
<p>Satisfied with his answer, Aki took her leave, leaving Tenma to his thoughts. Once again, the presence, his Keshin, crept into his mind when his mind was spiraling downwards. But this time, it was different. Instead of fighting against him, it was working with him.</p>
<p>"Why is it different?" Tenma sighed as he sat up in resignation. He got up from his bed and went to his desk. Pulling out a blank piece of paper, he got to work on writing down his theories about his Keshin.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <em>"You went too far yelling at him like that, granted, it was not the sole reason why he snapped. But that does not excuse your words."</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"Tenma's mother is dying."</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"I heard Tenma and Aoi talking about it just now. Tenma said that his mother nearly didn't make it. And this has been festering in his mind since the Tengawara match."</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"That's because Tenma's good at pushing his feelings aside until his emotional dam breaks."</em>
</p>
<p>Someone hit the pause button on the laptop playing the recordings. Leaning back, they smirked as they thought how they can make use of this.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Fun fact 1: Aoi's Super Sour Lemonade is a forbidden combination of lemonade with extra lime, apple cider, sour plum, rhubarb, etc. She has a tame down version of it with only lemon, lime and sour plum.</p>
<p>I find that I've been projecting on Tenma a lot in this chapter in terms of how he deals with his emotions. It's unhealthy and I acknowledge I need better coping mechanisms.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Hidden Claws</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Just days before the Mannouzaka match and this happens, Shindou bemoans the club’s recent downturn of luck. There is no guarantee that Tenma will get better in time for the match and more than half the club are torn between feeling guilty for the way they treat Tenma or stay angry at him for messing up the club’s status quo. And the less said about Minamisawa and Tsurugi, the better.</p><p>  “What are we going to do?” He silently sighed to himself.</p><p>  “Sighing and looking troubled is unbecoming of you.”</p><p>  Shindou nearly rolled his eyes at his best friend. “What else am I supposed to do, Kirino?”</p><p>  Kirino gave him a sideways glance and shook his head. “You worry too much for the club. Then again, that makes you a good captain.”</p><p>  “I can sense a ‘but’ coming.”</p><p>   “In a Fifth Sector controlled team, that is working against you.”</p><p>  “Are we?”</p><p>  Kirino paused to turn to his friend with a confused look. “What?”</p><p>  “Are we really controlled by the Fifth Sector?” Shindou had a melancholy look as he stared at the sky. “I’ve been thinking about it for a while now. What is really stopping us from playing real soccer? Why is it that Endou-kantoku, Tenma and Shinsuke can play soccer without worry at the riverbank? Then I realized it. The Fifth Sector was never in control. They made us suppress our love for soccer by making us fear them, through their SEEDs or actions. But Tenma proved that when you love something, you don’t need to let the fear control you to do whatever it takes to protect it. I’ve been afraid of many things in the past weeks. And I’m tired of not confronting them and taking back control over my love for soccer.”</p><p>  Kirino regarded him evenly. Eventually, he sighed but with a smile. “Nothing’s going to change your mind.”</p><p>  “No.” Shindou also smiled, knowing that his friend understands.</p><p>  “Alright. Give me some time to think about it. I’ll give you my answer before the match.”</p><p>  “Thank you Kirino.”</p><hr/><p>    “We’re still going with the Fifth Sector’s orders, right?”</p><p>  Hamano flicked his eyes at his best friend and slowly nodded, his attention completely on his fishing pole. “Yeah. It’s better this way, for the club.”</p><p>  “But Shindou-kun, Sangoku-san and the first years are not.” Hayami felt the need to point out.</p><p>  Hamano only shrugged at this but he had a small frown. “We can’t control what they do. You saw what happened when Kurama lashed out at Matsukaze.”</p><p>   To be honest, Hamano had no idea how to feel about Tenma and his Keshin. Logically, one should be afraid of Tenma after two aggressive displays. But Hamano got the feeling that it is not entirely Tenma’s fault. The first time it happened, Tenma did not have any control from what Shindou told them. Yet, he was very much in control this time. But in both instances, he didn’t hurt anyone on the team, save lashing out in self-defense against Kuroki, that Hamano can’t fault him.</p><p>    Even so, that did not change their mindset. He, Hayami, Kurama, Amagi and Kuramada were going to do the right thing and obey the Fifth Sector, or so Hamano hoped. A feeling of dread filled his gut however, making him less sure about his decision than he was before the Tengawara match.</p><hr/><p>  That night, half of the players of Raimon had some thinking to do and decisions to make. Endou sent them a text stating that he had an important announcement the day before the match which was tomorrow. And he was hoping for all of them to be there to hear him out before deciding on their actions.</p><p>  Tenma stared at the text for a few seconds before snapping shup his phone. He stared at the sky with a blank look. After a day away from school, he was feeling a lot better than he was yesterday. So he snuck up to the balcony to look at the stars after dinner.</p><p>  “What am I supposed to do?” He sighed. Kurama’s words had struck a cord in him that made him realize that his self-centered actions were not well received by the seniors. He just wanted to play the soccer he love, the soccer he knew the seniors all love as well.</p><p> The ringtone of his second phone snapped him out of his thoughts. He slowly smiled when he saw the caller ID and did not hesitate to answer the video call.</p><p>  <em>“Arion! Are you alright? Dahlia said that you weren’t feeling well at practice?” </em>The worried look of his brother was what greeted him.</p><p>“I’m fine Abel.” Tenma managed an amused smile. “My Keshin…It happened again. But this time it was different.”</p><p>  Abel blinked and narrowed his eyes. <em>“How so?”</em></p><p>   “My Keshin and I…I don’t know how to describe it, but it felt like we were more in sync. I remained conscious when I lashed out at Kurama-senpai.”</p><p><em>  “Why did you lash out at your senior?”</em> Abel suddenly became concern.</p><p>  Tenma lowered his eyes guiltily. “It’s not entirely his fault. But after another senpai quit, he said that it’s my fault the club is falling apart. And I was not emotionally stable for a while now, so I snapped at him.”</p><p><em>  “Is it because of Mama’s condition?”</em> When he did not receive an answer other than a small sniff, he sighed, <em>“I’m so sorry. I wish I could be with you right now. But…”</em></p><p>  “You’re needed in Wythras.” Tenma understood. He really did understand that his brother and father had their duty to the country. As he was not a member of the royal family by blood, he was not expected to take up the royal duties, giving him more freedom than them. Instead, he asked, “How is mama?”</p><p> <em> “She’s a lot better now. Her condition has stabilized. Sorry for scaring you.”</em></p><p>  Tenma released the breath he didn’t know he was holding, and felt the load lifted from his chest. “That’s good.”</p><p>
  <em>  “Yeah. But the doctors are unsure if she’ll wake up soon.”</em>
</p><p>  “Still better than dying.” Tenma let out a long breath, eyes closed.</p><p>  <em>“What are you going to do about the team then?”</em></p><p>  “I don’t know.” Tenma sighed tiredly. “I…I don’t know how am I going to face the team when I go back to school. Sangoku-senpai helped stop them from getting too mad last time. But they won’t listen to him again since they’re mad at him now.”</p><p><em>  “Hm, team drama is never fun to deal with.” </em>Abel said with an understanding nod. <em>“But I’m not too worried for you. If it’s you, it’ll work out somehow.”</em></p><p>  “Huh?” Tenma tilted his head curiously at his brother’s words. “What do you mean?”</p><p>
  <em>  “You’re one of the kindest people with a good heart that I know of, and that speaks volumes in our social circle. I don’t know if you realized this, but you are more than capable of inspiring people with your passion and determination.”</em>
</p><p>  “You think so?” Tenma’s smile grew a little.</p><p>  <em>“You already inspired three people to join your little rebellion.” </em>Abel raised an eyebrow at him.</p><p>  “Point taken.”</p><p>
  <em>  “Give your team some time. They’ll come around. But until they do, you don’t owe them any explanation or apologies for your actions. What you choose to do is your own choice, what they want to do is theirs.”</em>
</p><p> “But…”</p><p>
  <em>  “You and your senior were in the wrong this time. You can apologize for lashing out and taking out your frustrations on the team, but don’t apologize for doing the right thing.”</em>
</p><p>  Tenma glanced back up at the sky, letting the wind blow around him as he mulled over his brother’s words. Slowly nodded, “I understand. Thanks for the advice.”</p><p><em>  “I’m always available to talk to you no matter how busy I am. And if I’m in communications blackout, don’t hesitate to ask Dahlia to contact me.” Abel</em> said with a fond smile. <em>“Get some rest. And good luck with your match.”</em></p><p>  “And good luck with the insurgents.” With that, the brothers hung up. Tenma stared at the stars again, this time with a more serene smile.</p><p>  “It’ll work out somehow.” For the first time in days, he said it with more certainty and conviction.</p><hr/><p>    “I’m going to take down the Fifth Sector.” Endou told them seriously at the start of practice the next day. “But I won’t force you to join me. I don’t mind what decision you settle on. I’ll be waiting on the field tomorrow.”</p><p>  Everyone disbursed in thought of the coach’s speech. Some of them thought it was pointless as they already knew that they were going to follow the Fifth Sector’s orders tomorrow. But before they got far, Tenma suddenly called out, “Wait!”</p><p>  Everyone turned to look at the brunet who had a determined look on his face and bowed. “I want to apologize for lashing out at practice the day before. It was wrong of me to take out my frustrations at anyone on the team. And for that, I sincerely apologize, Kurama-senpai.”</p><p>  “Whatever.” Kurama folded his arms while looking away grumpily. Surprisingly, Kuramada elbowed him with a stern glare, which made the forward flinch.</p><p>  “Tenma, it’s not…”</p><p>  “Necessary?” Tenma raised an eyebrow at Sangoku. “Perhaps, but it had to be done. But I would like to make one thing clear. I am apologizing for my actions towards Kurama-senpai, but I will never apologize for doing what’s right and playing my soccer.”</p><p>  This cause half of the team to give him sour frowns. But Tenma refused to back down and instead grinned at Shinsuke. “We’re going to win the match.”</p><p>  Shinsuke blinked but grinned back at the conviction in his friend’s voice. “Yeah!”</p><p>  “Thank goodness.” Aoi sighed in relief that her best friend was back to his usual self. She then eyed the other players and a wicked gleam appeared in her eyes.</p><p>  “Akane-senpai, Midori-senpai, please let me prepare the drinks today.”</p><p>  Midori and Akane gave her curious glances but relented. Midori had an idea of what the blue haired girl was planning and wanted to see how it pans out while Akane tried to offer to help but went back to taking pictures of Shindou when Aoi turned her down.</p><p>  “Oh boy.” Tenma winced, having spotted the wicked gleam. He wondered though if it was truly warranted and who would end up with Aoi’s Super Sour Lemonade.</p><p>Part way through practice though, the principle and chairman showed up with Kuroki, to the dismay of the team.</p><p>  “Is there something the matter?” Endou addressed them coolly.</p><p>  “Yes, Kuroki-san here wants to speak with Mastukaze Tenma.” The chairman glared at said player.</p><p>   “We are in the middle of practice.” Endou injected with as much annoyance as he can mustered. But inwardly, he was tense. Kuroki had finally found a way to seek out Tenma on his terms by involving the headmaster and chairman. Tenma cannot use self-defense to make him back off with those two keeping an eye on him.</p><p>  “You don’t have a choice in the matter. If I do not have an audience with him today, I will ensure that Raimon will not participate in the match against Mannouzaka tomorrow.” Kuroki threatened.</p><p>  “Kantoku, it’s fine.” Tenma suddenly appeared beside the man, making him jump a little.</p><p>  “Tenma.” Endou moved to grip his shoulder and tried to push his student behind him. “It’s not happening.”</p><p>  Tenma however wouldn’t budge. Instead, he gave his coach a pointed look. “You said it yourself, didn’t you? What you want from the match? I’ll be fine. I know how to handle it.” He then turned to Kuroki with narrowed eyes with the barest hint of his steel glare forming. “I will listen to what you have to say, but only if Endou-kantoku is present. If not, then social media will have a field day about the Fifth Sector harassing minors. And I will record every word of this conversation. Of course, you’re welcome to do the same.”</p><p>  The chairman and principle strutted but Kuroki gave him a begrudging nod. “Very well. I suppose you know what I have to say.”</p><p>  “If it is about joining the Fifth Sector, my answer won’t change, no matter how many people you send to kidnap or intimidate me.”</p><p>  Kuroki’s eyebrow twitch as he forced himself to remain stoic. “Perhaps we were a little rash in our last attempts. But I have something to offer you instead that you will find necessary.”</p><p>  “And that is?” Tenma raised an unimpressed eyebrow.</p><p>  Kuroki smirked and leaned in closer. “It has come to our attention that your mother is in a coma.”</p><p>  Endou could not be certain, but the barest flashes of fear appeared in Tenma’s eyes and his left hand trembled for a second before he smoothed out his expression and forced himself back under control.</p><p>  Kuroki knew he found the clinch in Tenma’s armor and pushed on with a menacing grin. “The Fifth Sector can help you, be it financial benefits or the best doctors in the country. All you have to do…”</p><p>  “Is sell my soul to the Fifth Sector?” Tenma tilted his head with a deadpan look.</p><p>  “You catch on fast.” Kuroki had a smug smirk. “So, what is your answer?”</p><p>  There was a tensed filled silence for the next few seconds, you can hear a pin drop. Tenma then threw back his head and burst out laughing.</p><p>  The chairman was flabbergasted and waved his hands at him angrily, his face turning red in anger. “Oi! What’s so funny?!”</p><p>  “Sorry.” Tenma forced himself under control but had a sharp grin directed at Kuroki. “It’s just that, I was not expecting that. Financial and medical help? What do you take my family for? They already have her with the best doctors in the <em>world</em>. And do you really think I would give up on my soccer just for that? My mother would rather slap me than get better quickly with your help.” Giving them a feral grin, he switched to Wythrish. <em>“Even with the entire value of the Fifth Sector, it will never be enough compared to what is needed for my mother to get better.”</em></p><p>  Kuroki scowled at him. This was not going the way he wanted it to. In an attempt to get the conversation back under his control, he tried to play his second trump card. “Oh, but will you regret it when Raimon is destroyed by the Fifth Sector?”</p><p>  This caused the chairman and principle to panic. But Tenma remained indifferent. “Nothing short of a meeting with the Seitei will make me change my mind.”</p><p>  This caused Endou to look at him strangely. But Kuroki did not see this. Instead he frowned and slowly nodded. “I see. In that case, you can hear back from me soon.”</p><p>  “Not too soon, I hope. I would hate to bring my complaints to the public about your last two kidnapping attempts. Oh, and social services will love to get involve once the rumors come out that you abuse the SEEDs who fail their missions.”</p><p>  Oh, Tenma was savage. Endou shuddered as Kuroki’s face twisted unpleasantly and quickly took his leave, the chairman and principle right behind him.</p><p>  “He won’t be bothering us for a while.” Tenma on the other hand had a satisfied smirk.</p><p>  “…Remind me never to get on your bad side.” Endou finally spoke.</p><p>  “Don’t worry, I only use threats where necessary to defend myself and others.” Tenma flashed the coach a bright smile. However, once he turned around and headed to the bench, his smile faded and his shoulders tensed up.</p><p>  Aoi realized that something was troubling her friend and approached him. “What’s wrong?”</p><p>  “He knew that mama was in a coma.”</p><p>  Aoi looked at her best friend in visible horror, nearly losing her grip on the bottles in hand. “What?!” She hissed. “I told them not to spread it around!”</p><p>  “What do you mean?” Tenma immediately narrowed his eyes dangerously.</p><p>  Aoi sighed as she lowered her voice. “Sangoku-senpai overheard us talking about Sayuri-obasan and concluded that she is hospitalized and dying. He then told the club, but I warned them not to talk about it. But I didn’t think that someone would tell this to the Fifth Sector.”</p><p>  Tenma’s face scrunched up in thought then shook his head. “No one in the club spread it out.”</p><p>  “Eh?” Aoi looked at her friend in confusion.</p><p>  “Kuroki said specifically that mama was in a coma. We did not say anything about her in a coma other than she is hospitalized and unwell. Sangoku-senpai did not find out that she’s in a coma either. Even if the Fifth Sector found out about mama through them or Tsurugi, which is unlikely since he already left school by then, they would not been able to find out that she is in a coma that easily.”</p><p>  “Then how did he find out?” Aoi wondered with a serious frown.</p><p>  “I’m not sure. But on the bright side, he doesn’t know about my real identity.” Tenma said with a dry smile. “He thought that I need financial and medical help for mama.”</p><p> Aoi clapped her hand over her mouth to stop herself from bursting out laughing. “He did that? No wonder you were laughing so hard just now. I swear the chairman and principle were going to have an aneurysm!”</p><p>  “But that leaves the question of how they are finding these things about me that easily.” Tenma said seriously which made Aoi sober up.  “We need to be more careful about what we say now. We also have to assume that everywhere outside my room is bugged.”</p><p>  “OK.” Aoi nodded. “You should get back to practice now. Captain and Sangoku-senpai are going to get concerned and approach us if you don’t.”</p><p>  Tenma nodded and went back to the field to resume practice, ignoring the stares from the other players. Inwardly, he hoped that this was not going to become a problem in the future. He knew what was going on in their minds and how it can backfire on him if he was not careful.</p><p>  “So what did that guy want?” Shinsuke asked him during their break.</p><p>  “Just the usual ‘join us and we can give you benefits’ villain speech.” Tenma shrugged with a wry grin.</p><p>  “Then why did you laugh just now? I thought the Black Knights coach was going to hit you!”</p><p>  Tenma contemplated a response then winked at his friend. “Let’s just say that my family is well off enough to give me what I need. And my mother would ground me for life if I gave up my soccer for her sake, not that I would have considered it even if my family wasn’t rich.”</p><p>  “Oh.” Shinsuke nodded in understanding, having guessed through Tenma’s implications what the FIfth Sector tried to offer him.</p><p>“Augh!”</p><p>“Blech!”</p><p> Two screams however made them jump and turn to see Kurama and Sangoku gagging and twitching on the floor.</p><p>  “Kurama! Sangoku-san!” Shindou was the first to approach them with bewildered stares directed at the two players.</p><p>  “What happened?” As he got closer, Kirino smelled something from Kurama’s bottle and took a sniff. His nose scrunched up at the weird, sour smell. “It smells like lemonade.”</p><p>  “Wait…” As one, everyone turned to look at Aoi who was examining her nails nonchalantly.</p><p>  “Sorano, what did you do?”</p><p>  Aoi only flashed them an innocent smile. “Tenma is too nice to not be mad at them. Don’t worry, this is a tame down version of my Super Sour Lemonade.”</p><p>  “I’m right here you know.” Tenma groaned. “And please Aoi, don’t do this to the team again. They got the message.”</p><p> “No promises.” Aoi shrugged. Once again, the team as a whole swore not to earn the blue hair manager’s ire. Tenma sighed in exasperation while the other managers watched on in fascination. Endou and Otonashi on the other hand were confused with the girl’s actions and reasoning.</p><p>  “Ne Tenma, what exactly is Aoi’s Super Sour Lemonade?” Shinsuke whispered to the brunet as Kurama and Sangoku were slowly recovering and flushing out the taste with water.</p><p>  Tenma chuckled nervously. “About that…” He whispered the list of ingredients to his friend who grew pale with every item Tenma listed.</p><p>  “Yikes.”</p><p>  “I know. On the bright side, it’s just the tame down version this time, so she only used half of those ingredients.” Tenma sweatdropped.</p><p>  “Half of it and it already KO-ed Kurama-senpai and Sangoku-senpai.”</p><p>  Tenma and Shinsuke shared looks and slowly nodded. It’s for the best of everyone’s sanity that they don’t find out her ingredient list.</p><hr/><p>  The day of the match could not come fast enough. Everyone one had gathered at Mannouzaka’s field, save for Minamisawa. Though Tenma felt bad that their actions had played a role in driving the purple haired senior away, he already came to terms with it.</p><p>  “Kantoku, we’re going to follow the Fifth Sector’s orders.” Kuramada declared with Amagi, Kurama, Hamano and Hayami siding with him. “We don’t want our chance to play soccer taken from us too.”</p><p>  Endou said nothing as he had anticipated this. Instead he turned to Tenma. “Tenma, how about you?”</p><p>  “I am not giving up on my soccer. I really want to win this match so that we can prove that real soccer is not dead. But at the same time, I feel like there’s no meaning in wining if soccer isn’t played together as a team.” Tenma gave each of the members a meaningful look. “I get it. You’re all scared of an unknown future without soccer, who wouldn’t? But can you say that in the future you won’t look back and regret letting your fear control you? Look deep in your hearts to find the courage to do what’s right. Even if the Fifth Sector comes right at us for disobeying them, I would rather make a stand now than live a life full of regret.”</p><p>  “Tenma…” Shinsuke’s eyes sparkled at the brunet’s speech. Fire pumped through his veins in excitement that he could not contain himself. “I’m not backing down either! I want to play real soccer with the Raimon Soccer Club!”</p><p>  Shindou and Sangoku exchanged amazed looks at their junior’s surprising level of leadership he was unconsciously exhibiting at the moment. They had firm looks as they nodded at the coach.</p><p>  “We want to play real soccer too. Even if it means going against the Fifth Sector.” Shindou said firmly.</p><p>  “Count me in too.”</p><p>  Shindou cocked his head at his best friend but had a smirk as he knew his friend would come around. “Glad to have you on board.”</p><p>  “Ah.” Kirino nodded in agreement. “You were right about one thing. We can’t let the Fifth Sector think they’re in control anymore. I’m done shielding away from the truth. We won’t have a future in soccer if we let the Fifth Sector dictate it.”</p><p>  Everyone else looked away uncomfortably. True, Tenma’s words struck hard with them. But they were not ready to believe it yet. Maybe soon, but not now. However, some of them had contemplative looks, especially Kuramada. He was not surprise that Kirino decided to join the rebellion but hearing his reasons threw him off a little.</p><p>  Tsurugi on the hand was glaring at Tenma. Again he managed to stir up the members of the team against the Fifth Sector. He can tell that his words had a profound effect on the team, even the members not playing against the Fifth Sector. And he can’t do anything about it. Nothing he does fazes the brunet. But perhaps with this match…</p><p>  “Don’t forget. Fifth Sector ordered Raimon to lose, 1-0.”</p><p>  Tenma only gave him a challenging smirk. “Oh? But you asked to be put on the team. Why would you want to play a match that the Fifth Sector destines us to lose? Unless you have an ulterior motive for that.”</p><p>  “And what are you going to do about it?” Tsurugi slowly asked, narrowing his eyes. The two were locked in a stare down and everyone can only watch with tensed anticipation.</p><p>  In the end, Tenma was the one who broke it as he flashed a sunny smile. “Why should I stop you? I’m not in charge of your decisions.”</p><p>  Shinsuke could not help it but blink in surprise. “Eh? But Tsurugi is going to do everything he can to make sure that we don’t win.”</p><p>  “Then we’ll just have to play twice as hard. Besides, I have faith.” Tenma flashed a reassuring smile at his friend. Of course, he didn’t say it out loud, but he did have faith in many things. That Raimon will win this match. That the seniors will come around. And most importantly, that Tsurugi will open his eyes and accept that he loves soccer dearly.</p><p>  As they were warming up, Tenma sensed someone approaching him but pretended to be oblivious to it. Sure enough, it was Kurama who loomed over him.</p><p>  “Listen up. If you ever try to win, I’ll stop you. I’m protecting my soccer.”</p><p>  Tenma did not respond to that until Kurama was walking away. When Shinsuke approached him with concern etched on his face, Tenma gave him a reassuring wave. “I’m alright. I was expecting it to be honest.”</p><p>  “We just have to do it.” Shindou muttered as he passed them.</p><p>  Nodding, Tenma and Shinsuke moved into position. Glancing around the field, he pretended not to notice Tsurugi talking with Mannouzaka’s captain. Judging from the looks of their faces, it means trouble for Raimon. Mentally, Tenma made a note to keep an eye on the captain, who then nodded at the goalkeeper and a forward. Three who were affiliated with the Fifth Sector then.</p><p>  But no one could anticipate what Tsurugi would do once the match started. Tenma watched in confused horror when Tsurugi stole the ball and made a power pass…no, it’s a shoot!</p><p>  His jaw clenched tightly as the ball went into the goal. The first point earned by Mannouzaka was a self-goal made by Tsurugi who kept his word to ensure the match ended in the Fifth Sector’s favor.</p><p>  Tsurugi glared heatedly at Tenma as he passed him. “I’ll destroy Raimon!”</p><p>  A declaration of war, that’s what it was to Tenma. He didn’t bother to give Tsurugi a reaction and instead turned around to ignore his glare. Tilting his head back, he whispered back in Wythris.</p><p>  <em>“And I’m not going to let you.”</em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yeah, Tenma and Aoi are savage. That's what happens when they were left unsupervised with Dahlia when they were kids.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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